Page 9 - AHATA

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local Tuesday 12 November 2024
National Park Arikok: Aruba’s biggest nature conservation

The National Park Arikok ous rocks of the batholithic were able to erect their
comprises almost 18 % of quartz-diorite/tonalite, and homes with materials found
the island. Its rugged ter- the limestone rocks from in the area. Two of these
rain, desert-like hills filled fossilized coral. The two adobe houses have been
with tall cacti, breathtaking tallest hills on the island are restored. Park rangers are
coastline and protected situated within the park. learning many of the old
local flora and fauna wel- Jamanota hill 188 meters building techniques in or-
come you to be explored. (617 ft) and Arikok hill 176 der to preserve this unique
There are numerous ani- meters (577 ft), from which Aruban mud-house. At Cu-
mals to discover, for ex- the name of the park is de- nucu Arikok and near Plan-
ample the sea turtle who rived. tation Prins you can find
lays his eggs on the park’s these adobe houses.
beaches. The line of the permanently
wind-and-wave beaten Park Management
The national park Arikok North Coast is broken by For the management of
takes you on a memorable several bays (boca’s). Most the park, a dedicated
journey of the islands past of them are small yet im- foundation “Fundacion
offering unique geological, pressive inlets at the mouth Parke Nacional Arikok”
cultural and historical sites. of dry riverbeds. Some (FPNA), known today as
These can all be enjoyed of these bays (boca’s) the Aruba National Park
and explored either on are spectacular sights, Foundation was estab-
your own or during guided adorned with white, sandy lished in July 2003. In Feb-
tours. A wide variety of ed- beaches and sand dunes, ruary 2017, mangrove and
ucational and informative as is the case at Boca Prins wetland RAMSAR site #198
programs and fun activities and Dos Playa. Spanish Lagoon was an-
is available. nexed to Arikok National
Arikok is also home to Con- Park due to its importance
Did you know that four of chi, Aruba’s most impor- as a feeding and breeding
the in total seven species tant natural attraction; also area for water birds and as
of sea turtle lay their eggs known as The Natural Pool. a nursery area for a variety
on Aruba's beaches? In The journey to the Pool is of marine organisms. With
the national park, a Least and adventure by itself and this addition, the areas un-
Tern (Sternula antillarum) only possible by foot, horse, der FPNA management
keeps a strict eye on a very ATV or 4×4 vehicle. increased by 70 hectares
special event taking place while the amount of spe-
below on the beach: a Cultural and Historical cies of flora and fauna to
majestic Leatherback (Der- components be conserved to over 250.
mochelys coriacea) heads There are a number of sites On December 21st, 2018
back to sea after laying her within the park that attest (AB 2018 no. 77) Parke Ma-
eggs, while another nest to the history of Aruba. The rino Aruba – currently con-
laid 2 months ago by the Caquetío Indians left rock sisting of four marine pro-
same female hatches— paintings in Cunucu Arikok tected areas (MPAs) – was
a very rare occurrence and Fontein Cave. The bird officially established and
of daytime nesting and drawing in the park logo is subsequently brought un-
hatching. Sea turtles pre- a copy of one of these his- der management of FPNA.
fer nesting in the cool and torical artistic expressions. In 2019 management plans
dark hours of the night. And will be established for the
hatchlings usually wait for cated at the north-eastern preserve the flora, fauna, Old plantation (Cunucus) new MPAs which include:
the cue of cooling surface part of Aruba which con- geology and historical re- sites tell the story of an ac- coral reefs, sea grass beds,
sand before emerging. tains examples of most of mains present within Arikok tive yet challenging agri- mangrove systems, a large
the island’s flora and fau- National Park. cultural past. diversity of breeding sea-
Nature Conservation na against a backdrop of birds. Parke Marino Aruba
The protected area of Na- great geological complex- The Landscape These Cunucus were also also contains potential
tional Park Arikok was of- ity. We are proud to state There is a great geological residential areas for the shark nursery areas, en-
ficially established in 2000. that approximately 18% variety within the park. The few families that worked dangered sea turtle nest-
Arikok National Park is a of the total land area of main aspects are the rough the land. These families ing beaches and marine
34 square kilometers (7907 Aruba is assigned as a Na- hills of the volcanic Aruba found ways to survive in mammal nursery areas.q
acres) of natural area, lo- tional Park, to protect and lava formation, the mysteri- the difficult conditions, and

Anouncement for Arikok visitors:
San Fuego Entrance closed,

entrance only through

Vader Piet

The Aruba Conservation Foundation (ACF) would like to inform
Arikok visitors to please be advised that access to Parke Nacio-
nal Arikok via the San Fuego entrance will be unavailable on
November 11 and 15, 2024, due to ongoing work. For your con-
venience, please use the alternative entrance at Vader Piet,
near the windmills in San Nicolas.