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Parque Nacional Jaragua, Dominican Republic

Pawel Jaworski

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The Parque Nacional Jaragua stretches for 1,374 sq. km across the southern tip of the Pedernales Peninsular, including the offshore islands of Beata and Alto Velo. Within its boundaries is the 27 sq. km Laguna de Oviedo, home of the country's largest flamingo population; some of the country's finest beaches (Bahía de las Aguilas on the west coast, for example); and caves with Taino drawings and rock carvings. Much of the park is covered with thorn forest (cactus), giving the landscape a distinctly desert-like feel.

Fact File

Flora and fauna: The vegetation is mainly subtropical dry and thorn forest - or, in layman's terms, cactus.

As well as the flamingos, there are great egrets, green-tailed warblers, American frigate birds, little blue herons and little green herons all of them particularly abundant in Laguna de Oviedo and on the offshore islands.

The mammal life includes rhinoceros iguanas, ricord iguanas, and the four marine turtles common to Hispaniola: the hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead and green.

Access: The main office of the Parque Nacional Jaragua is just east of the town of Oviedo.

Source: http://www.drpure.com/