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                                                                                                           local Saturday 15 June 2024
            National Park Arikok: Aruba’s biggest nature conservation































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

                Nature Conservation      Arikok is also home to Con-
            The protected area of Na-    chi,  Aruba’s  most  impor-
            tional  Park  Arikok  was  of-  tant natural attraction; also
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