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local Monday 16 october 2023
National Park Arikok: Aruba’s biggest nature conservation

The National Park Arikok com-
prises almost 18 % of the island.
Its rugged terrain, desert-like hills
filled with tall cacti, breathtaking
coastline and protected local flo-
ra and fauna welcome you to be
explored. There are numerous ani-
mals to discover, for example the
sea turtle who lays his eggs on the
park’s beaches.

The national park Arikok takes you
on a memorable journey of the
islands past offering unique geo-
logical, cultural and historical sites.
These can all be enjoyed and ex-
plored either on your own or dur-
ing guided tours. A wide variety
of educational and informative
programs and fun activities is avail-
able.
a backdrop of great geological are spectacular sights, adorned house. At Cunucu Arikok and near
Did you know that four of the in to- complexity. We are proud to state with white, sandy beaches and Plantation Prins you can find these
tal seven species of sea turtle lay that approximately 18% of the to- sand dunes, as is the case at Boca adobe houses.
their eggs on Aruba's beaches? tal land area of Aruba is assigned Prins and Dos Playa.
In the national park, a Least Tern as a National Park, to protect and Park Management
(Sternula antillarum) keeps a strict preserve the flora, fauna, geology Arikok is also home to Conchi, For the management of the park,
eye on a very special event taking and historical remains present with- Aruba’s most important natural at- a dedicated foundation “Fun-
place below on the beach: a ma- in Arikok National Park. traction; also known as The Natu- dacion Parke Nacional Arikok”
jestic Leatherback (Dermochelys ral Pool. The journey to the Pool is (FPNA), known today as the Aru-
coriacea) heads back to sea after The Landscape and adventure by itself and only ba National Park Foundation was
laying her eggs, while another nest There is a great geological variety possible by foot, horse, ATV or 4×4 established in July 2003. In Febru-
laid 2 months ago by the same within the park. The main aspects vehicle. ary 2017, mangrove and wetland
female hatches—a very rare oc- are the rough hills of the volcanic RAMSAR site #198 Spanish Lagoon
currence of daytime nesting and Aruba lava formation, the mysteri- Cultural and Historical components was annexed to Arikok National
hatching. Sea turtles prefer nesting ous rocks of the batholithic quartz- There are a number of sites within Park due to its importance as a
in the cool and dark hours of the diorite/tonalite, and the limestone the park that attest to the history feeding and breeding area for wa-
night. And hatchlings usually wait rocks from fossilized coral. The two of Aruba. The Caquetío Indians left ter birds and as a nursery area for
for the cue of cooling surface sand tallest hills on the island are situ- rock paintings in Cunucu Arikok a variety of marine organisms. With
before emerging. ated within the park. Jamanota hill and Fontein Cave. The bird draw- this addition, the areas under FPNA
188 meters (617 ft) and Arikok hill ing in the park logo is a copy of management increased by 70
Nature Conservation 176 meters (577 ft), from which the one of these historical artistic ex- hectares while the amount of spe-
The protected area of National name of the park is derived. pressions. cies of flora and fauna to be con-
Park Arikok was officially estab- served to over 250. On December
lished in 2000. Arikok National Park is The line of the permanently wind- Old plantation (Cunucus) sites tell 21st, 2018 (AB 2018 no. 77) Parke
a 34 square kilometers (7907 acres) and-wave beaten North Coast is the story of an active yet challeng- Marino Aruba – currently consist-
of natural area, located at the broken by several bays (boca’s). ing agricultural past. ing of four marine protected areas
north-eastern part of Aruba which Most of them are small yet impres- (MPAs) – was officially established
contains examples of most of the sive inlets at the mouth of dry river- These Cunucus were also residen- and subsequently brought under
island’s flora and fauna against beds. Some of these bays (boca’s) tial areas for the few families that management of FPNA. In 2019
worked the land. These families management plans will be estab-
found ways to survive in the difficult lished for the new MPAs which in-
conditions, and were able to erect clude: coral reefs, sea grass beds,
their homes with materials found mangrove systems, a large diversi-
in the area. Two of these adobe ty of breeding seabirds. Parke Ma-
houses have been restored. Park rino Aruba also contains potential
rangers are learning many of the shark nursery areas, endangered
old building techniques in order to sea turtle nesting beaches and
preserve this unique Aruban mud- marine mammal nursery areas.q