The Metropolitan Natural Park (Parque Natural Metropolitano) is a protected area located in
Panama City
Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
,
Panama
Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
. It is the only wildlife refuge in the city. The origins of this park date back to 1974, when the first steps were taken for the optimal use of the area near the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
. Later, in 1983, this area was declared the
Curundú
Curundú is a corregimiento within Panama City, in Panamá District, Panamá Province, Panama with a population of 16,361 as of 2010. Its population as of 1990 was 17,933; its population as of 2000 was 19,019.
It was also home to the Curundú Bo ...
Recreational Area. Finally, in 1975, the president, (
Jorge Illueca
Jorge Enrique Illueca Sibauste (September 17, 1918 – May 3, 2012) was a Panamanian politician and diplomat who served as 25th President of Panama in 1984.
Biography
Illueca was born in Panama City, Panama. He attended the University of Panama, ...
), took a tour if the area and, as a result, a proposal for a Metropolitan Natural Park (PNM3) was presented. The park was created by Law No. 8 of July 5, 1985 and was inaugurated on June 5, 1988. It is located in the district of Panama, corregimiento of
Ancón, on
Juan Pablo II Avenue.
Characteristics
This park’s 265 hectares, bordering on the Panamanian watershed, are characterized as a natural protected area of the Panamanian transisthmian region.
Flora and fauna
In the park there are a variety of birds and vertebrate animals typical of the tropical rainforest, such as: the monkey marmoset, the ñeque, macaws, squirrels, etc. It also has nature trails from where you can observe its forests, landscapes and a panoramic view of the capital city.
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Despite the proximity of Metropolitano National Park to the capital city, it is home to 227 bird species, 45 species of mammals, 36 species of snakes and 14 species of amphibians.
Approximately 75% of the park is covered by tropical dry forest of the Pacific, an ecosystem that has almost disappeared in other regions of the country. There are also about 284 plant species, including many species of trees, large numbers of creepers, epiphytes, orchids and mosses.
See also
*
Parques Nacionales de Panamá
References
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Parks in Panama
Protected areas established in 1988
Tourist attractions in Panama City
Geography of Panama City