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Archaeological evidence shows the area was inhabited by the Taino before and during the arrival of the
Spanish during the end of the 15th-century. The area was never formally settled and instead was used for cattle grazing. Throughout its history, some of the caves in the peninsula were used for
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The reserve is home to 89 species of tree, 77 species of herbs and grasses, and 46 species of bushes and shrubs, with 7 being endemic and most of the others being native to the island. Key plant species include all three species of mangrove native to Puerto Rico in addition to the
263:. In addition to limestone, the soils also originate from volcanic material that is highly acidic and fertile. Being part of the southern karst region, the area is notable for its caves located towards the relatively hilly center of the peninsula.
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Punta
Guaniquilla is an important biodiversity spot, being home to fifteen of the seventeen endemic bird species of Puerto Rico. Laguna Cartagena also serves as a stopover for migrating birds from as far as the
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The nature reserve is famous for its otherworldly lagoon that contains some of the oldest geologic formations in Puerto Rico, in addition to its beaches, coral reefs, mangroves, dry forests and
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was founded however sometime during the 19th-century. This sugarcane plantation and refinery that became the most prolific in the area during the 1870s.
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251:, more than 11,000,000 years ago, Punta Guaniquilla also contains some of the oldest geologic formations in Puerto Rico together with the nearby
227:. Apart from its ecological value, the nature reserve also contains and preserves important archaeological sites associated with the indigenous
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The nature reserve was formally established in 1977, making it the third oldest state-level designated nature reserve in Puerto Rico after the
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303:. The reserve is home to at least 81 species of birds, out of which 24 are migratory and 37 are resident. The West Indian whistling duck (
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smuggling, to the point that they were locally associated with the folklore surrounding the pirate
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521:"Fideicomiso de Conservación de Puerto Rico » Blog Archive » Punta Guaniquilla ESP"
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The nature reserve today is open to the public. Access to the nature reserve is through
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623:"Descubriendo la Laguna Guaniquilla: Un Santuario Natural en Cabo Rojo"
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hills. The area also contains strata belonging to the fossil-bearing
543:"Laguna Guaniquilla | Punta Guaniquilla Nature Reserve in Cabo Rojo"
477:
Fuentes
Santiago; Quevedo Bonilla, Giovanna; Vicente (June 2002).
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210:
Departamento de
Recursos Naturales y Ambientales de Puerto Rico
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Puerto Rico
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
223:, one of which is associated with the pirate and folk figure
206:
Puerto Rico
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
161:
Puerto Rico
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
479:"DOCUMENTO DE DESIGNACIÓN RESERVA NATURAL PUNTA GUANIQUILLA"
390:, who was active in the area during the early 19th-century.
575:"Para la Naturaleza | Reserva Natural Punta Guaniquilla"
413:, respectively. In 1988 the area also became one of the
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or small peninsula located immediately to the south of
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Caborojo.com - Guía de
Turismo y Negocios en Cabo Rojo
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The environment of the nature reserve belongs to the
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192:. The entirety of the headland is protected as the
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597:"Critical coastal wildlife areas of Puerto Rico"
247:, famous for its red limestone. Dating from the
415:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
419:Critical Coastal Wildlife Areas of Puerto Rico
1197:Parque Nacional de las Cavernas del Río Camuy
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505:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
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235:, a 19th-century sugarcane plantation.
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48:Karst formations at Laguna Guaniquilla
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692:National Estuarine Research Reserves
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297:Important Bird and Biodiversity Area
243:Punta Guaniquilla forms part of the
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27:Reserva Natural de Punta Guaniquilla
1262:Protected areas established in 1977
1282:1977 establishments in Puerto Rico
1277:Tourist attractions in Puerto Rico
621:Anderson, Angel (April 21, 2024).
411:Inés María Mendoza Nature Reserves
14:
1151:La Robleda Natural Protected Area
202:Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico
198:Reserva Natural Punta Guaniquilla
157:Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico
1272:Sugar plantations in Puerto Rico
194:Punta Guaniquilla Nature Reserva
65:
58:
42:
36:V (protected landscape/seascape)
22:Punta Guaniquilla Nature Reserve
728:National Wild and Scenic Rivers
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88:
1267:Protected areas of Puerto Rico
1103:Palmas del Mar Tropical Forest
675:Protected areas of Puerto Rico
1:
1172:Mata de Plátano Field Station
1093:Foreman Conservation Easement
1037:Northeast Ecological Corridor
362:), the West Indian mahogany (
231:cultures and, more recently,
16:Protected area in Puerto Rico
1062:San Juan Ecological Corridor
350:), the Puerto Rico manjack (
1081:Conservation Easement Sites
601:repository.library.noaa.gov
356:), the roving pricklypear (
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1202:Julio Enrique Monagas Park
547:www.puertoricodaytrips.com
344:), the pipe organ cactus (
277:Greater Antilles mangroves
245:Puerto Rico southern karst
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774:National Wildlife Refuges
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957:Aguas Buenas Cave System
261:Sabana Grande Formations
140:463 cda (450 acres)
1144:Protected Natural Areas
1032:Mona and Monito Islands
405:nature reserves, today
273:Puerto Rican dry forest
188:in the municipality of
1247:Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
1007:Humacao Nature Reserve
997:Cuevas Las Cabachuelas
301:BirdLife International
293:Canadian Arctic tundra
190:Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
84:Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
577:(in European Spanish)
523:(in European Spanish)
443:Boquerón State Forest
407:Hacienda La Esperanza
374:Hohenbergia antillana
332:), the coast zapote (
295:and is designated an
121:18.03750°N 67.20750°W
1252:Caves of Puerto Rico
1057:San Cristóbal Canyon
347:Pilosocereus royenii
309:), locally known as
214:Puerto Rico Law #150
341:Zamia portoricensis
306:Dendrocygna arborea
153:Governing body
126:18.03750; -67.20750
117: /
94:Boquerón, Cabo Rojo
1188:Parques Nacionales
1112:Conservation Zones
1022:La Cordillera Reef
1017:Inés María Mendoza
1002:Hacienda Belvedere
392:Hacienda La Romana
365:Swietenia mahagoni
338:), the marunguey (
233:Hacienda La Romana
1229:
1228:
1210:
1209:
1165:Research Reserves
1067:Tortuguero Lagoon
939:Bosque del Pueblo
878:Los Tres Picachos
810:
809:
353:Varronia rupicola
335:Manilkara pleeana
174:Point Guaniquilla
170:Punta Guaniquilla
167:
166:
90:Nearest city
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1190:
1177:Sierra de Jájome
1027:Las Bocas Canyon
967:Caño Martín Peña
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797:Laguna Cartagena
756:Wilderness Areas
710:National Forests
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249:Early Cretaceous
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1242:IUCN Category V
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1135:Isla Verde Reef
1128:Marine Reserves
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1072:Tourmaline Reef
1047:Puerto Mosquito
1042:Planadas-Yeyesa
992:Cueva del Indio
977:Cerro Las Tetas
962:Caja de Muertos
949:Nature Reserves
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746:Río de la Mina
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1052:Punta Petrona
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932:Other Forests
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172:(Spanish for
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34:IUCN category
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982:Cibuco Swamp
908:San Patricio
816:Commonwealth
630:. Retrieved
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604:. Retrieved
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579:. Retrieved
552:September 6,
550:. Retrieved
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489:. Retrieved
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418:
417:-designated
403:Punta Yeguas
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186:Boquerón Bay
173:
169:
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888:Monte Choca
741:Río Mameyes
486:drna.pr.gov
221:karst caves
145:Established
124: /
100:Coordinates
1236:Categories
1088:El Rabanal
918:Toro Negro
843:Cambalache
736:Río Icacos
632:August 29,
606:August 29,
581:August 29,
527:August 29,
491:August 29,
449:References
431:Buyé Beach
425:Recreation
280:ecoregions
182:Buyé Beach
112:67°12′27″W
903:Río Abajo
863:Guajataca
858:Cerrillos
782:Cabo Rojo
718:El Yunque
370:bromeliad
299:(IBA) by
200:) by the
109:18°2′15″N
873:Guilarte
838:Boquerón
792:Desecheo
501:cite web
437:See also
324:almácigo
311:chiriría
204:and the
178:headland
80:Location
898:Piñones
883:Maricao
868:Guánica
833:Aguirre
802:Vieques
787:Culebra
764:El Toro
683:Federal
381:History
267:Ecology
239:Geology
176:) is a
848:Carite
399:Manatí
163:(DRNA)
913:Susúa
853:Ceiba
482:(PDF)
317:Flora
286:Fauna
229:Taino
923:Vega
634:2024
608:2024
583:2024
554:2023
529:2024
507:link
493:2024
409:and
401:and
275:and
259:and
148:1977
137:Area
1238::
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599:.
562:^
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503:}}
499:{{
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159:,
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326:(
208:(
196:(
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