The Caguanes National Park in Cuba: An Incredible Natural Beauty
- Submitted by: admin
- Travel and Tourism
- Caribbean
- Destinations
- national
- Photography
- 03 / 09 / 2008
Located in the Yaguajay Municipality in the northern part of Sancti Spiritus Province, some 350 km east of the Cuban capital, the place is composed of Caguanes Key, which it took its name from, the Guayaberas Swamp and 10 cays known as Cayos de Piedra, due to their one-of-a kind morphology.
It covers different ecosystems in its over 22,000 hectares of surface, which house the Tocororo (Cuban Tragon), national bird of the largest Antillean Island and the only freshwater carnivorous sponge known in the world, among other species.
It also boasts a mangrove ecosystem with a large variety of plants and animals living in a perfect harmony, as well as rocks, mangroves and water where the manatee takes refuge.
Mangroves become the major protecting barrier against the strong swells that degrade low coasts and regulate salinization advance inland.
The park also has a spelunking complex made up by more than 70 spelunks, qualified in caverns, caves and rocky shelters, and 40 archaeological sites treasure remains from all aboriginal cultures, once settlers of the Cuban archipelago.
Its significant in the place the presence of all the species of cave-dwelling bats of Cuba due to the great development of spelunks in the area, as well as the largest colony of the fishing bat in caves on the island.
The place also has the largest number of caverns in the country with some 36 and the calcareous domes that form the different cays have constituted a rich spelunking system described by late Dr Antonio Nuñez Jimenez as Caguanes-type horizontal caves.
The complex protects beautiful secondary formations, among them stalactites, stalagmites, paletas, cave pearls and columns; whereas different sea levels have left some galleries uncovered and created marine mouths.
Its wildlife features around 200 species, among which highlights go to poultry because its the most attractive and represented group with 112 species. The tocororo, cartacuba (Cuban Tody), tali bird, tomeguín (Cuban Grassquit) stand out among land birds, as flamingos and pelicans stand out among the marine ones.
In the northeastern part of the Park visitors can find the Bay of Buena Vista, 1-3 meter deep; sandy-mud bottoms with large areas of seagrass beds filled with grass and seaweeds.
Specialists currently working at the Caguanes National Park are implementing diverse projects, which allow nature lovers to appreciate its kindnesses.
(Cubasí)
It covers different ecosystems in its over 22,000 hectares of surface, which house the Tocororo (Cuban Tragon), national bird of the largest Antillean Island and the only freshwater carnivorous sponge known in the world, among other species.
It also boasts a mangrove ecosystem with a large variety of plants and animals living in a perfect harmony, as well as rocks, mangroves and water where the manatee takes refuge.
Mangroves become the major protecting barrier against the strong swells that degrade low coasts and regulate salinization advance inland.
The park also has a spelunking complex made up by more than 70 spelunks, qualified in caverns, caves and rocky shelters, and 40 archaeological sites treasure remains from all aboriginal cultures, once settlers of the Cuban archipelago.
Its significant in the place the presence of all the species of cave-dwelling bats of Cuba due to the great development of spelunks in the area, as well as the largest colony of the fishing bat in caves on the island.
The place also has the largest number of caverns in the country with some 36 and the calcareous domes that form the different cays have constituted a rich spelunking system described by late Dr Antonio Nuñez Jimenez as Caguanes-type horizontal caves.
The complex protects beautiful secondary formations, among them stalactites, stalagmites, paletas, cave pearls and columns; whereas different sea levels have left some galleries uncovered and created marine mouths.
Its wildlife features around 200 species, among which highlights go to poultry because its the most attractive and represented group with 112 species. The tocororo, cartacuba (Cuban Tody), tali bird, tomeguín (Cuban Grassquit) stand out among land birds, as flamingos and pelicans stand out among the marine ones.
In the northeastern part of the Park visitors can find the Bay of Buena Vista, 1-3 meter deep; sandy-mud bottoms with large areas of seagrass beds filled with grass and seaweeds.
Specialists currently working at the Caguanes National Park are implementing diverse projects, which allow nature lovers to appreciate its kindnesses.
(Cubasí)
Comments