Cahuita National Park

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cahuita National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Location:	Costa Rica
Nearest city:	Limón
Area:	11 km² land, 6 km² marine
Established:	27 December 1982
Governing body:	National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC)

Cahuita National Park is a National Park in the Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area of Costa Rica located on the southern Caribbean coast in Limón Province, near the town of Cahuita. It protects beaches and lowlands and attracts tourists and other visitors who are able to scuba dive and snorkel in the protected marine area which contains the Coralline Reefs, as well as being a nesting ground for sea turtles.

The reef is known to have at least 35 species of coral, 140 species of molluscs, 44 species of crustaceans, and 123 species of fish. On land there are many types of animal as well including tamanduas, pacas, coatis, raccoons, sloths, agoutis, howler and capuchin monkeys. It has a variety of birds as well including the green ibis, rufous kingfisher and keel-billed toucans.

[edit] History

Originally the site was created as the Cahuita National Monument in 1970, and was reformed as a National Park in 1978, this change was ratified in 1982.