Cahuita National Park

Region	Caribbean
Town	Cahuita
Creation Date	Sept-24-1970
Area	1106 ha
Category	National Park

Atractions and Services

Information	Nature Tours	Picnic Areas
Camping Areas	Toilets	Showers
Refuge	Corals	Sea Life
Beaches	Rain Forest

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Cahuita National Park Images

Decree

D.E. #1236-A Sept-24-1970 Creation D.E. #8489-A May-24-1978 Name change Ley #6794 27-Dec-1982 Ratification D.E. #171040-mag Jul-29-1986 Commission D.E. #17236-mag Oct-22-1986 Change of Comisión

Location

Conservation Area La Amistad Caribe (Acla-c)

Brief History

Its creation occurred the 24 of September of 1970, like National Monument Cahuita, according to Decree of Creation no. 1236-A, published in Newspaper no. 213 of the 24 of September of 1970. It was reformed the 24 of May of 1978, like National Park Cahuita, according to Executive Decree no. 8986-A. This National Park account with 1106 hectares in the terrestrial area, 600 hectares in the reef area and 22,400 has in the marine part. This wild area protects one of Coralline Reefs better developed of Caribbean coast and one of most important of Costa Rica. Also it protects a sample of marshy forest with pure rodales of Yolillo and Sangrillo. Conserve also white sand beaches of great scenic beauty. Cahuita comes from the terms "Kawe "that "sangrillo means " (tree of the zone) and "Ta "that means "punta ", that is "Punta Sangrillo ". the first settlers of Cahuita were fishermen who were based in which it is at the moment the National Park. In the sector of Port Vargas a wharf existed (of there the denomination of "puerto "), which was constructed in 1921 and which it served for the transport as people and merchandise, mainly wood. In 1930 the Municipality of Limon constructed a wharf near the Perezoso River so that the cahuiteños could be transferred and take their products to Limon. This Park obtained the prize Ecological Blue Flag in 1996 in the sectors: Port Vargas and White Playa.

Detailed Location

are located in the province of Limon, the Caribbean coast, 42km to the south of the city of limon. It is located in the tropical basal zone of the Atlantic Region of Costa Rica,

Natural and Cultural Resources

In the reef have identified 35 species of chorales, 140 of moluscos, 44 of crustaceans, 128 of seaweed and 123 of fish. The marine resources protected here, are in a process of deterioration caused by the great amount of wastes that at heart settle and contamination by agroquímicos, that the river drags the Star. The turtles green (Chelonia Mydas), sea turtle (imbricata Eretmochelys) and baula (Dermochelys coreaceae), nest in their beaches. Also serpents of the Botrops sort have reported themselves. In the forest, the most showy mammals are the monkeys congos (Alouatta palliat) and white face (Cebus capucinus), pizotes (Nasua Narica) and raccoons (lotor Procyon), as well as two species of sluggish (Choleopus hoffmani and Bradypus variegatus). Tropical Forest Húmedo.Posee belongs to the denominated zone several important habitats like the marshy forest; the mixed forest not flooded and the coastal vegetation. The chorale reef occupies an extension of 600 hectares and it extends in front of in form of fan Cahuita End, between the river Perezoso and Port Vargas. Part of the platform of the reef emerges to 11m on the level of the sea. According to studies made after the earthquake of the 22 of April of 1991, it is platform emerged 1m. approximately Is the developed reef more in the coast of the Costa Rican Caribbean.

Main Attractions

Congo Monkeys Monkeys Expensive White Sluggish Squirrels Pizotes Choral Colibríes cerebriforme Chorale Horns of Elk Fan of Sea Fish French Angel Fish Angel Queen Fish Isabelita Cucumber of Sea Lobsters Turtles Thousands of fish of colors

Facilities and Services

Administration sanitary Services Zone of diving Can dive in the coralline reef House of Skillful information Information Zone for swimmers Area of lunch Area to encamp Water potable Egg-laying of turtles Footpaths