Jaragua National Park
Jaragua National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Jaragua) is a national park of the Dominican Republic. Jaragua National Park is located in Pedernales Province in the extreme southwest of the Dominican Republic. Jaragua National Park has an area of 1374 km² (905 km² of which are marine), with coordinates from 17"28'N to 17'58'N and 71'16'W to 71"44'W, making it the largest protected area in the Caribbean region.
Jaragua National Park was established by Presidential Decree No. 1315 on August 11, 1983, and was named after a Taíno region. The park is represented by the Hispaniolan dry forests ecoregion. Spanning the southern slopes of the Baoruco Mountain Range from Oviedo to Cabo Rojo, Jaragua National Park includes dry forest, mangroves, and scrub, as well as land and marine habitats. Beata Island (Isla Beata), Alto Velo Island, Bahia de las Aguilas and Lago de Oviedo (noted for its diverse bird life) are part of the park.
References
- Cohen, Saul B. (ed). "Parque Nacional Jaragua." Columbia Gazetteer of North America. New York: Columbia, 2002.
- "Jaragua National Park, Dominican Republic." The Nature Conservancy.
- "Jaragua National Park." UNESCO.
Coordinates: 17°47′21″N 71°29′56″W / 17.789228°N 71.499023°W