The Copi Nature Reserve ( Dutch: Natuurreservaat Copi) is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

and nature reserve in

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

. The reserve is located along the

blackwater Blackwater or Black Water may refer to: Health and ecology * Blackwater (coal), liquid waste from coal preparation * Blackwater (waste), wastewater containing feces, urine, and flushwater from flush toilets * Blackwater fever, an acute kidney disea ...

Cassewinica Creek. The reserve measures 18,000 hectares, and has been a protected area since 1986.

Overview

The reserve contains a large amount of possumwood ('' Hura crepitans'') which was the main reason for protecting the area. It also contains numerous spectacled caimans (''Caiman crocodilus crocodilus''), some

giant otter The giant otter or giant river otter (''Pteronura brasiliensis'') is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to . Atypical of musteli ...

s (''Pteronura brasiliensis''), and Cuvier's dwarf caimans (''Paleosuchus palpebrosus''). The reserve consists of dry savannas, short grass savannas, and some grass and fern swamps. Copi Nature Reserve is the only state-owned dry clay savannah in Suriname; the other two are privately owned.

Access

The indigenous Lokono village of Copi is located in the area, however it only has a few inhabitants. The indigenous population has the right to fish and hunt in the reserve. Copi can be reached by boat from

Stolkertsijver Stolkertsijver is a town in the Commewijne District of Suriname. It is situated on the East-West Link. At Stolkertsijver, a bridge spanning the Commewijne River was built in 1970s. The village was named after the Stolkertsijver plantation, also ...

Archaeology

The Copi Nature Reserve contains archaeological traces from pre-Columbian times. There are also several abandoned plantations and forts located in the reserve.

References

Bibliography

* * Brokopondo District Nature reserves in Suriname Protected areas of Suriname {{SouthAm-protected-area-stub