Los Roques Archipelago National Park

Los Roques Archipelago National Park (Spanish: Parque nacional Archipiélago de Los Roques) is a national park and marine protected area in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. It was established on 8 August 1972 during the presidency of Rafael Caldera and encompasses the Los Roques Archipelago, an extensive coral atoll measuring approximately 36 kilometres (22 mi) from west to east and 24.6 kilometres (15.3 mi) from north to south, made up of about 50 islands and some 292 cays and shoals. The park covers 221,120 hectares of land and sea, making it the largest marine park in the entire Caribbean. The archipelago lies in the Leeward Antilles of the Lesser Antilles, almost due north of the cities of Caracas and La Guaira. The only island with permanent population is Gran Roque, with an area of 1.7 square kilometres (0.66 sq mi) and around 1,200 inhabitants. Other islands and cays of touristic importance include Francisquí, Crasquí, Madrisquí, Pirata, Fernando, Noronquí and Dos Mosquises. The park contains one of the most diverse and best-preserved coral reef systems in the Caribbean Sea. The main constraint on tourism development, besides the strict commercial controls imposed by its national park status, is the lack of rivers and other permanent fresh water sources. About 90% of the lobsters consumed in Venezuela come from Los Roques. Since the 1990s, fishing has been displaced by tourism as the principal economic activity. The highest point in the park rises just 130 m above sea level. The southern portion of the archipelago reaches depths of up to 1,700 metres (5,600 ft), with progressively shallower levels towards the north, where average depth does not exceed 15 metres (49 ft). History Human presence in Los Roques is estimated to date back to the end of the first millennium AD. According to recent archaeological studies, the archipelago was a frequent destination for indigenous seafarers from Lake Valencia and the central coast of Venezuela, who travelled there to hold ritual festivals and to gather queen conch, fish, hunt sea turtles and extract salt. Later, during the colonial period, the islands became frequented by people drawn by pearls, salt and mangroves. Smugglers and pirates used its intricate coasts as hideouts. In the second half of the 19th century, the Venezuelan government signed an agreement with a Dutch entrepreneur for the extraction of guano, an activity carried out mainly by people from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. The unusual names of many of the islands ending in the syllable quí (derived from the English word "key", meaning cay) come from this period. In the mid-20th century, Venezuelan fishermen from Margarita Island began to settle permanently in the islands, initially on eight of them and, after the creation of the national park, only on Gran Roque. Geography The park covers 221,120 hectares including land and marine areas, more than 80% of which is submerged. The climate is mild with an average annual temperature of 28 °C (82 °F) and average annual precipitation of about 250 mm. Location The park lies in the Caribbean Sea, between latitudes 11°58′36″N and 11°44′26″N and longitudes 66°57′26″W and 66°36′25″W. The archipelago is administratively part of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela and is located about 130 kilometres (81 mi) from the Venezuelan mainland. Los Roques are part of the Leeward Antilles of the Lesser Antilles. Access Approximately 85% of visitors arrive by air; the remainder reach the islands aboard the TAP (Transporte Acuático de Pasajeros) ferry service, which has a capacity of 45 people, or by private yacht or sailboat. Geology The basement rock of the islands originated about 40 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous. Calcareous sediments from snails, corals and other marine remains later accumulated on top. With the drastic rise of sea levels at the end of the last glaciation, reef growth was favoured, forming two well-defined barriers to the north and south of the archipelago. These barriers in turn, through their protective effect, allowed the formation of islands and cays. Geologically speaking the archipelago in its present form is very recent, dating back just 10,000 to 15,000 years. Los Roques has the distinction of being the only coral atoll in the world whose formation did not involve volcanic processes. Climate Los Roques has a hot, dry tropical climate influenced by trade winds. Average annual temperature is around 28 °C (82 °F), with little seasonal variation. Annual precipitation is low — about 250 mm — reflecting the islands' location in the rain shadow of the South American mainland. Flora and fauna Flora The flora of the archipelago includes several species of mangrove (Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa and Conocarpus erectus), extensive seagrass meadows (Thalassia testudinum), halophytes such as sea purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum), and cacti including the prickly pear Opuntia caribea and the melon cactus Melocactus caesius. Fauna Because of the extreme environmental conditions and the lack of fresh water, terrestrial animals are not abundant. They are limited to several species of iguanas and lizards, spiders and insects. The fishing bat (Noctilio leporinus) is the only native terrestrial mammal. It is in the water that the area's immense richness becomes evident: 307 species of fish, 200 species of crustaceans, 140 species of molluscs, 61 species of corals, 60 species of sponges and 45 species of sea urchins and starfish. Dolphins, whales, manta rays (Manta birostris) and sea turtles are common. The most representative animals include the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), the queen conch (formerly Strombus gigas), the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus), typical coral reef fish, and 92 bird species. Los Roques is a meeting point for some 50 species of migratory birds from North America. Among the most frequent birds are the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), two species of booby — the red-footed booby (Sula sula) and the brown booby (Sula leucogaster) — and the laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla). Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) can also be seen. Four species of sea turtles that appear on global lists of threatened species nest regularly in the archipelago: the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) and hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). Conservation The park is administered by the National Institute of Parks (INPARQUES), the Venezuelan state agency responsible for its care and management. Los Roques is listed under IUCN Category II and was designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance on 4 September 1996, recognising its outstanding ecological value. Studies of the area's coral reefs have documented signs of recovery for the endangered Acropora palmata coral in recent decades. Long-running monitoring also covers the populations of queen conch and Caribbean spiny lobster, both fisheries of significant economic importance to local communities. Tourism Tourist attractions include white-sand beaches and recreational navigation aboard various vessel types including kayaks, sailing boats, rowing boats and catamarans (a maximum length of 80 feet is imposed throughout the park); kitesurfing, windsurfing, scuba and free diving, recreational fishing with rod and line, birdwatching and hiking excursions. Shopping and nightlife are not part of Gran Roque's attractions; restaurants are simple, and there are no cinemas or discotheques. Other tourist attractions include the festival of the Virgin of the Valley, held annually in the second week of September, and the Lobster Festival in November, which marks the opening of the fishing season. See also List of national parks of Venezuela Los Roques Archipelago Federal Dependencies of Venezuela References External links Information on the national park (INPARQUES) (in Spanish) Ramsar Sites Information Service – Archipiélago Los Roques