|
Tortuguero is the most important nesting site in the
western half of the Caribbean for the pacific green
turtle (Chelonia mydas). Scientists have been able to
determinate that the turtles that nest in the park later
swim north to Florida and then south of the Caribbean.
National Parks of Costa Rica
Eleven habitats have been found and identified in Tortuguero.
Some, such as lakes Swamps forest and Hollis forest,
etc.
Tortuguero is one of the regions with the heaviest rainfall
in the country (apro. 5500 mm. Per year) and is one
of the wildness areas with the greatest biological variety.
To date, 11 habitats have been identified in the park.
The most important are littoral woodland where gramineous
and cyperaceous plant and coconut palms are predominant,
berm, high rain forest where crabwood , banak and Santa
Maria grow; slope forest made up of trees such as the
wild tamarind an bully tree.
There is an abundance and variety of wildlife, especially
with regard to monkeys, fish, anurans and 309 species
of birds. Some mammals that make their homes in the
park are Tapir (Tapirus bairdi), jaguar (Felis onca),
ocelot, spider monkey, howler monkey.
A natural network of scenic and navigable waterways
crosses the park from southeast to northwest. These
channels and marshes are the habitat of 7 species of
land turtle, which can be seen sunning themselves on
logs in the middle of the water or on the islands of
floating vegetation. They also shelter the West Indian
manatee, one of the most endangered Caribbean species,
crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus), a great variety of crustaceans,
and about 30 species of freshwater fish, including the
gar (Atractosteus tropicus), considered to be a living
fossil, and bull shark (Carchahinus leucas) which can
grow up to 3 meters long.
The geomorphology of the park consists of a vast floodplain
formed by a coalescence of deltas, which filled part
of the ancient Nicaraguan trench. The alluvial plain
is only broken in the west by Sierpe Peaks, which is
300 meters high and which are part of the remains of
a small archipelago of volcanic origin that once existed
in that area.
|
