Morrillito

Coordinates: 17°52′56″N 66°31′59″W / 17.88222°N 66.53306°W / 17.88222; -66.53306

Morrillito

Isla Morrillito looking South from the Caja de Muerto Light, Ponce, PR
Morrillito
Geography
Location Ponce, Puerto Rico
Coordinates 17°52′56″N 66°31′59″W / 17.88222°N 66.53306°W / 17.88222; -66.53306
Area 0.04 km2 (0.015 sq mi)
Administration
United States
Commonwealth Puerto Rico
Municipality Ponce
Barrio Playa
Demographics
Population 0
Pop. density 0 /km2 (0 /sq mi)

Morrillito is a small uninhabited island off the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The island is protected by the Reserva Natural Caja de Muertos natural reserve because of its native turtle traffic.[1] Together with Caja de Muertos, Gatas, Ratones, Cardona, Isla del Frio, and Isla de Jueyes, Morrillito is one of seven islands ascribed to the municipality of Ponce.[2][3]

Location

The island, sometimes erroneously termed a cay (or, key), is located 8.4 km south of the Puerto Rican mainland and is part of Barrio Playa[4][5] ward of the Ponce, Puerto Rico, municipality. It is located 180 meters off the southwest point of Caja de Muertos island and has an area of just 0.04 km². The island is connected to Caja de Muertos by a bank of shallow waters about 5.49 meters deep.[6] It is located at latitude 17.88417 and longitude -66.53361.[7] Its length is 0.5 kilometers northeast and southwest.[8]

Geography and climate

The island is a small 31-foot flat-topped island located 200 yards off the southwestern tip of Caja de Muertos and, when viewed from a distance, Morrillito can easily be mistaken for the 170-ft steep hill (called Cerro Morrillo, Morrillo Hill) at the extreme southwestern portion of Caja de Muertos proper.[9][10] The climate is dry and the island supports dry forest.

Natural reserve

Together with Caja de Muertos (1.54 km²) and Berberia Key (0.30 km²), Morrillito makes up the Caja de Muertos Natural Reserve. The island was designated as a nature reserve in 1980 after a meeting was held in Puerto Rico by the Puerto Rico Planning Board wherein they considered the recommendation set forth by the Coastal Management Zone Program to turn the island into a protected wilderness area. The island has remained a protected area ever since.[11] The protection is mainly due to its heavy Hawksbill sea turtle traffic which is an endangered species.[12]

References

  1. ↑ La Reserva Natural Isla Caja de Muertos. Hojas de Nuestro Ambiente. Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. Octubre 2006 - Rev. Julio 2009. P-009. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  2. ↑ Neysa Rodriguez Deynes. Brevario Sobre la Historia de Ponce. Second Edition. Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. 2002. Page 9. Printed by Impress Quality Printing, Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
  3. ↑ CityMelt. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  4. ↑ General Purpose Population Data, Census 2000. Unidad de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Área de Tecnología de Información Gubernamental, Oficina de Gerencia y Presupuesto. Gobierno de Puerto Rico. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
  5. ↑ US Census. 1930 Federal Census Team Transcription. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  6. ↑ Isla Caja de Muerto Natural Reserve . Encyclopedia Puerto Rico. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  7. ↑ Isla Morrillito. Get-a-Map.net. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  8. ↑ West Indies Pilot, Volume 1. United States Hydrographic Office. Page 592. Fourth Edition: 1922.
  9. ↑ Booklet Chart: Isla Petrona to Isla Caja de Muertos. 25685 - NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  10. ↑ Isla del Frio. Mapquest. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  11. ↑ Puerto Rico.com: The Puerto Rico Channel. Visiting Caja de Muertos Island Nature Reserve.
  12. ↑ Isla Caja de Muerto Natural Reserve . Encyclopedia Puerto Rico. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
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