Page 11 - AHATA

A4 LOCAL
Saturday 11 January 2025

National Park Arikok: Aruba’s biggest nature conservation

The National Park Arikok com- educational and informative and dark hours of the night. protect and preserve the flora, These Cunucus were also
prises almost 18 % of the island. programs and fun activities is And hatchlings usually wait for fauna, geology and historical residential areas for the few
Its rugged terrain, desert-like available. the cue of cooling surface sand remains present within Arikok families that worked the land.
hills filled with tall cacti, breath- before emerging. National Park. These families found ways to
taking coastline and protected Did you know that four of the survive in the difficult condi-
local flora and fauna welcome in total seven species of sea Nature Conservation The Landscape tions, and were able to erect
you to be explored. There are turtle lay their eggs on Aruba's The protected area of National There is a great geological va- their homes with materials
numerous animals to discover, beaches? In the national park, Park Arikok was officially estab- riety within the park. The main found in the area. Two of
for example the sea turtle who a Least Tern (Sternula antilla- lished in 2000. Arikok National aspects are the rough hills of these adobe houses have
lays his eggs on the park’s rum) keeps a strict eye on a Park is a 34 square kilometers the volcanic Aruba lava for- been restored. Park rangers
beaches. very special event taking place (7907 acres) of natural area, mation, the mysterious rocks of are learning many of the old
below on the beach: a majes- located at the north-eastern the batholithic quartz-diorite/ building techniques in order to
The national park Arikok takes tic Leatherback (Dermochelys part of Aruba which contains tonalite, and the limestone preserve this unique Aruban
you on a memorable journey coriacea) heads back to sea examples of most of the island’s rocks from fossilized coral. The mud-house. At Cunucu Arikok
of the islands past offering after laying her eggs, while an- flora and fauna against a two tallest hills on the island and near Plantation Prins you
unique geological, cultural other nest laid 2 months ago by backdrop of great geological are situated within the park. can find these adobe houses.
and historical sites. These can the same female hatches—a complexity. We are proud to Jamanota hill 188 meters (617
all be enjoyed and explored very rare occurrence of day- state that approximately 18% of ft) and Arikok hill 176 meters Park Management
either on your own or during time nesting and hatching. Sea the total land area of Aruba is (577 ft), from which the name For the management of the
guided tours. A wide variety of turtles prefer nesting in the cool assigned as a National Park, to of the park is derived. park, a dedicated founda-
tion “Fundacion Parke Na-
The line of the permanently cional Arikok” (FPNA), known
wind-and-wave beaten North today as the Aruba National
Coast is broken by several bays Park Foundation was estab-
(boca’s). Most of them are lished in July 2003. In February
small yet impressive inlets at the 2017, mangrove and wetland
mouth of dry riverbeds. Some RAMSAR site #198 Spanish La-
of these bays (boca’s) are goon was annexed to Arikok
spectacular sights, adorned National Park due to its impor-
with white, sandy beaches tance as a feeding and breed-
and sand dunes, as is the case ing area for water birds and
at Boca Prins and Dos Playa. as a nursery area for a variety
of marine organisms. With this
Arikok is also home to Conchi, addition, the areas under FPNA
Aruba’s most important natu- management increased by 70
ral attraction; also known as hectares while the amount of
The Natural Pool. The journey species of flora and fauna to
to the Pool is and adventure be conserved to over 250. On
by itself and only possible by December 21st, 2018 (AB 2018
foot, horse, ATV or 4×4 vehicle. no. 77) Parke Marino Aruba –
currently consisting of four ma-
Cultural and Historical com- rine protected areas (MPAs)
ponents – was officially established and
There are a number of sites subsequently brought under
within the park that attest to management of FPNA. In 2019
the history of Aruba. The Ca- management plans will be es-
quetío Indians left rock paint- tablished for the new MPAs
ings in Cunucu Arikok and Fon- which include: coral reefs, sea
tein Cave. The bird drawing grass beds, mangrove systems,
in the park logo is a copy of a large diversity of breeding
one of these historical artistic seabirds. Parke Marino Aruba
expressions. also contains potential shark
nursery areas, endangered
Old plantation (Cunucus) sites sea turtle nesting beaches
tell the story of an active yet and marine mammal nursery
challenging agricultural past. areas.q