Darién National Park

Darién National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Darién) is a world heritage site in Panama. It is about 325 kilometers from Panama City, and is the most extensive of all national parks of Panama and is one of the most important world heritage sites in Central America.

Darién National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Collared aracari at Darién National Park
LocationDarién Province, Panama
Coordinates7°44′10″N 77°32′50″W
Area5,790 km2 (2,240 sq mi)
EstablishedSeptember 27, 1980
Official nameDarien National Park
TypeNatural
Criteriavii, ix, x
Designated1981 (5th session)
Reference no.159
State Party Panama
RegionLatin America and the Caribbean

The Darién National Park is a natural bridge spanning North and South America.[1]

In 1972 an area of 700,000 hectares (7,000 km2) became part of the Alto Darién Protection Forest. In 1980 the area was declared a National Park. In 1983 an area of 859,333 ha (8,593.33 km2) became a UNESCO biosphere reserve.[2][3] The park covers 5,790 km2 (579,000 ha).[4]

It is located in southernmost Panama in Darién province and its southern boundary extends along 90% of the Panama Colombian border. It lies between the Serranía del Darién range, which parallels the Caribbean Sea 16 km to the northeast, and the Pacific Ocean coast. It is adjacent to the Los Katios National Park in Colombia.[2]

Habitat

The Darien National Park has a myriad of habitats, ranging from rocky coastlines to sandy beaches to mangroves. The park also has expansive swamps and large areas of tropical forests.[1]

Wildlife

Its most common species include macaw, parrot, and tapirs. The harpy eagle also calls this national park home. It is noted for its incredible genetic value. The park is home to regional endemic species and some that are so rare and endangered that they are on the IUCN Red List. These species include the spotted paca, Mantled howler, night monkey, black-headed spider monkey, jaguar, ocelot, Central American agouti, American crocodile and the capybara.[1]

Indigenous inhabitants

The park is one of the few examples remaining in the world of a protected area inhabited by humans. To this day two Native tribes dwell in the park.[1]

Visitors usually fly into El Real, the closest town to the park.

Harpy eagle
Spotted paca
American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)

Visiting the park

Due to its extreme isolation, the Darién National Park is not very accessible. There are, however, two places where the park is often visited. Santa Cruz de Cana (more simply known as Cana) is one of them. Set in the middle of the park near the eastern slope of Cerro Pirre, Cana is one of Panama's most incredible outdoor areas. It has been called one of the world's ten greatest bird watching spots. There are several trails and a ranger station there.

The second point of access is Pirre Station. This is an ANAM ranger station set on the opposite side of Cerro Pirre. This area has primary forests and an abundance of wildlife, including several types of monkeys, sloths, and many bird species. There are several trails leading away from the ranger station that can be hiked. Travelers can stay in a basic dormitory at the ranger station.

The park is also notable for the Darien Gap, the only break in the Pan-American Highway on its intercontinental path from Argentina to Alaska.

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References
  1. "Darien National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  2. World Conservation Monitoring Centre
  3. Official UNESCO website entry
  4. Smithsonian Institution, Centre of Plant Distribution Archived 2012-01-26 at the Wayback Machine
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