Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas (Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve) is a
nature reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce ( , , ) is a city and a Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The most populated city outside the San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan metropolitan area, Ponce was founded on August 12, 1692Some publ ...
. It consists of both a land area component as well as an offshore marine area. The land component has an area of while the marine component has an expanse of , for a total area of . The Reserve consists of mangrove
ecosystem
An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...
s, coastal
sand dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...
lagoon
A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...
known as Laguna Las Salinas, open water, and a century-old local community. The lagoon occupies and area of Ecological protection is managed and enforced by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. Eight activities are allowed at the Reserve: scuba diving, boating, fishing, hiking, sun bathing, photography, bird watching and canoeing. Activities prohibited are: Camping, crabbing/trapping, horseback riding, water crafting, and hunting. Pets, ATVs, and fireplaces are also prohibited.
History
In 2001, the Puerto Rico Ornithology Society started promoting the conservation of the Las Cucharas area and proposed it as an Important Area for the Conservation of Birds. Then, during 2003–2004, the
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...
hydrology
Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and drainage basin sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is called a hydro ...
study of Laguna Las Salinas. In June 2004, the Integrated Planning Area of the Natural Patrimony Division of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico ( DRNA) issued a report on the natural value of the Punta Cucharas area. In 2008, Amigos de La Laguna (Friends of the Lagoon), a local concerned citizens group, issued a
press release
A press release (also known as a media release) is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing new information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public releas ...
showing the impact that construction of the Gasoducto del Norte was to have on the
lagoon
A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...
. In August 2008, the Legislature of Puerto Rico passed Law 227 designating the Punta Cucharas natural area as a nature reserve and creating the Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve using, among others, the June 2004 DRNA report. On 9 August 2008, Punta Cucharas became a
protected area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...
under the law.
Location and size
The area is located in the coastal and the subcoastal zones of the southern end of Barrio Canas. The area is bounded in the west by a tourist development, including a hotel, in the north by modern residential compounds, and in the south by the
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere, located south of the Gulf of Mexico and southwest of the Sargasso Sea. It is bounded by the Greater Antilles to the north from Cuba ...
. It includes all the land southeast of Road PR-2 in Barrio Canas and the marine component of Isla de Ratones and
Isla Cardona
Isla Cardona, also known as Sor Isolina Ferré Island, is a small, uninhabited island located 1.30 nautical miles south of the mainland Puerto Rican shore across from Barrio Playa, on the west side of the entrance to the harbor of Ponce, Puer ...
. The Caribbean Sea Marine Extent component includes the waters south of points from Punta Cucharas in the west and Rio Matilde in the east, both in the Ponce mainland, and north of points from Isla de Ratones in the west and Isla Cardona in the east, both islands south of Ponce. Isla de Ratones and Isla Cardona are both included in the Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve.
It consists of a salt water
lagoon
A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...
known as Laguna Salinas (Salinas Lagoon) that measures 347,898 square meters, as well as forestland systems of mangroves and other coastal forests, and different types of estuary and marshy wetlands. It also includes extensive areas of
sand dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...
s covered by
herbaceous
Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials.
Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous"
The fourth edition of ...
vegetation, part of which are gramineous plants. The Reserve's total area is 698
cuerda
The term "cuerda" (Spanish for ''rope'') refers to a unit of measurement in some Spanish-speaking regions, including Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Cuba, Spain, and Paraguay. In Puerto Rico, the term cuerda (and "Spanish acre"Ponce en Marcha, was a $615,000 yet-to-be-built project in the Hacienda La Matilde area programmed to be finished during the 1996–97 of the Government of Puerto Rico fiscal year. However, "recognizing the great ecological value of the Punta Cucharas ecosystem, the Territorial Ordinance Plan of the Municipality of Ponce sought to protect the Punta Cucharas area, identifying it as a "high interest" ecotourism area.
Shoreline geology and habitats
The shoreline habitat consists of exposed
mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...
s, mixed sand and gravel beaches, and fine grained sandy beaches. The Reserve wildlife consists of
wading bird
Birders in Canada and the United States refer to several families of long-legged wading birds in semi-aquatic ecosystems as waders. These include the families Phoenicopteridae (flamingos), Ciconiidae (storks), Threskiornithidae (ibises and s ...
s and shore birds.
Flora and fauna
The Reserve has 148 flora species, 56 bird species (including both resident or migratory species), five mammal species, nine reptile species, five amphibians, and six fish species.
Guaiacum officinale
''Guaiacum officinale'', commonly known as roughbark lignum-vitae, guaiacwood or gaïacwood, is a species of tree in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae, that is native to the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America.
Description
This sm ...
'' (guaiac tree) and vulnerable is the ''
Maytenus ponceana
''Maytenus ponceana'', the Ponce mayten, is a species of plant in the family Celastraceae. It is endemic to Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbea ...
''. Some of the 147 plant species found at the Punta Cucharas Reserve are listed below.
Fauna
Birds
Fifty-six bird species have been identified in the Reserve. Five of them are
endemic species
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
. A partial catalog of the bird species found in the Reserve includes Charrancito (''
Sternula antillarum
The least tern (''Sternula antillarum'') is a species of tern that breeds in North America and locally in northern South America. It is closely related to, and was formerly often considered conspecific with, the little tern of the Old World. Oth ...
Todus mexicanus
The Puerto Rican tody (''Todus mexicanus''), locally known in Puerto Rican Spanish, Spanish as ''San Pedrito'' ("little Saint Peter"), is a bird Endemism in birds, endemic to the Geography of Puerto Rico, main island of Puerto Rico. In 2022, the ...
Myiarchus antillarum
The Puerto Rican flycatcher (''Myiarchus antillarum''), or juí is a tyrant flycatcher endemic to the Puerto Rican archipelago and one of the 22 species belonging to the genus ''Myiarchus'' of the family Tyrannidae.
See also
* Fauna of Puert ...
Dendroica adelaidae
Adelaide's warbler (''Setophaga adelaidae''), or reinita mariposera (in Puerto Rican Spanish) is a bird endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico belonging to the genus ''Setophaga'' of the family Parulidae (New World warblers).
Taxonomy
The ...
Spindalis portoricensis
The Puerto Rican spindalis (''Spindalis portoricensis'') is a bird endemic to the island of Puerto Rico, where it is commonly known as ''reina mora'' or ''cigua puertorriqueña''. The species is widely distributed throughout the island and is an ...
''). Mariquita ('' Agelaius xanthomus'') flies into the area but does not reside there. Other bird species are: Zumbador Dorado ('' Anthracothorax dominicus''), Zumbador Pechiazul ('' Eulampis holosericeus''), Zorzal Pardo ('' Margarops fuscatus'') and Jilguero ('' Euphonia musica'').
There are 56 species identified of which six are endemic, 44 are resident, five are migratory and one is introduced. The following table lists a sampling of them.
Mammals
The following five species of mammals were found in Punta Cuchara.
Reptiles
Punta Cucharas biodiversity includes reptiles such as '' Hemidactylus brookii'', ''
Sphaerodactylus macrolepis
''Sphaerodactylus macrolepis'', also known as the big-scaled dwarf gecko or the big-scaled least gecko, is a lizard of the ''Sphaerodactylus'' genus. It was first documented in 1859 in the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, specifical ...
Leptodactylus albilabris
''Leptodactylus albilabris'' is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae.
Common names
Its local name is ranita de labio blanco or sapito de labio blanco ("white-lipped froglet") and English name either Gunther's white-lipped frog or Hisp ...
''. Of the reptile species, the ''lagartijo jardinero del sur'' ('' Anolis poncensis'') is protected under the " vulnerable" classification by Rule 6766 of the "Regulations to Govern Vulnerable and Endangered Species in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico" pursuant to Puerto Rico Law 241, commonly known as "The Puerto Rico Wildlife Law." Following is a listing of reptiles found at the Reserve.
Amphibians
Environmental challenges
Clean up
The June 2004 DRNA study warned that due to the lack of surveillance and the easy access that several roads provide to the area, it had become a common practice to use the area as a clandestine junk yard for motor vehicles and other refuse. The report suggested strategies for the management, cleaning, reforestation and conservation of the area. Several groups, including civic, environmental, and church groups, interested in the conservation of the Salinas Lagoon as part of the Punta Cucharas natural area have participated in cleaning campaigns for the removal of junk with the collaboration of the Municipality of Ponce. The DRNA also took steps to reforest the area. In 2013, some vandals used the area for dumping construction refuse, a practice that carries a fine of $5,000.
Legal efforts
As an additional vehicle to preserve the area, the government of Puerto Rico included Punta Cucharas as a natural reserve under the Natural Patrimony Program created by Act No. 150 of August 4, 1988, known as the "Puerto Rico Natural Patrimony Program Act."
Facilities improvements
In October 2012, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources published a 54-page environmental impact evaluation with numerous appendixes. In it, the DRNA proposed relocating the existing main vehicular entrance and building the necessary entryway and signing, making improvements to the existing road, building
gazebo
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal or Gun turret, turret-shaped, often built in a park, garden, or spacious public area. Some are used on occasions as bandstands.
In British English, the word is also used for a tent-like can ...
s for group picnics and relaxation plus a gazebo for nature talks, construction a
floating dock
Floating may refer to:
* a type of dental work performed on horse teeth
* use of an isolation tank
* the guitar-playing technique where chords are sustained rather than scratched
* ''Floating'' (play), by Hugh Hughes
* Floating (psychological p ...
for
kayak
]
A kayak is a small, narrow human-powered watercraft typically propelled by means of a long, double-bladed paddle. The word ''kayak'' originates from the Inuktitut word '' qajaq'' (). In British English, the kayak is also considered to be ...
observation tower
An observation tower is a tower used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision to conduct long distance observations. Observation towers are usually at least tall and are made from stone, iron, and woo ...
and building a restaurant, a
boat ramp
A slipway, also known as boat ramp or launch or boat deployer, is a Inclined plane, ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats, and for launching and ...
, and bathroom facilities (
compost toilet
A composting toilet is a type of dry toilet that treats human waste by a biological process called composting. This process leads to the decomposition of organic matter and turns human waste into compost-like material. Composting is carried out b ...
Aloe vera
''Aloe vera'' () is a succulent plant species of the genus ''Aloe''. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions.
An evergreen perennial plant, perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but ...
'')
File:Acaciafarnesiana1web.jpg, Aroma (''
Vachellia farnesiana
''Vachellia farnesiana'', also known as ''Acacia farnesiana'', and previously ''Mimosa farnesiana'', commonly known as sweet acacia, huisache, casha tree, or needle bush, is a species of shrub or small tree in the legume family, Fabaceae. Its flo ...
'')
File:Achyranthes aspera at Kadavoor.jpg, Rabo de gato ('' Achyranthes aspera'')
File:Annona glabra FL.jpg, Cayur (''
Annona glabra
''Annona glabra'' is a tropical fruit tree in the family Annonaceae, in the same genus as the soursop and cherimoya. Common names include pond apple, alligator apple (so called because American alligators often eat the fruit), swamp apple, corkw ...
'')
File:Coral Vine.jpg, Bellísima (''
Antigonon leptopus
''Antigonon leptopus'' is a species of perennial vine in the buckwheat family commonly known as coral vine or queen's wreath. This clambering vine is characterized by showy, usually pink flowers that can bloom throughout the year and large, hear ...
'')
File:Arundo donax 3.jpg, Caña de castilla (''
Arundo donax
''Arundo donax'' is a tall perennial cane. It is one of several so-called reed species. It has several common names including giant cane, elephant grass, carrizo, arundo, Spanish cane, Colorado river reed, wild cane, and giant reed. ''Arundo'' a ...
Avicennia germinans
''Avicennia germinans'', the black mangrove, is a shrub or small tree growing up to 12 meters (39 feet) in the acanthus family, Acanthaceae. It grows in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, on both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts ...
'')
File:Batis maritima male.jpg, Yerba de sal ('' Batis maritima'')
File:Boerhaavia diffusa.jpg, Mata pavo ('' Boerhavia diffusa'')
File:Starr 080530-4638 Bucida buceras.jpg, Ucar (''
Bucida buceras
''Terminalia buceras'' is a tree in the Combretaceae family. It is known by a variety of names in English, including bullet tree, black olive tree, gregorywood (or gregory wood), Antigua whitewood, and oxhorn bucida. It is native to Mexico, Cent ...
'')
File:Sonnenbrandbaum1.jpg, Almácigo (''
Bursera simaruba
''Bursera simaruba'', commonly known as gumbo-limbo, the tourist tree, copperwood, almácigo, chaca, West Indian birch, naked Indian, and turpentine tree, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to the Neotropics, from South Florid ...
'')
File:Caesalpinia bonduc inflo.jpg, Mato de playa ('' Caesalpinia bonduc'')
File:Algodon de seda (Calotropis procera) 2.jpg, Algodón de seda (''
Calotropis procera
''Calotropis procera'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae that is native to North Africa, Northern and Afrotropical realm, Tropical Africa, West Asia, Western Asia, South Asia and Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochina (main ...
'')
File:Canella winterana Guadeloupe.JPG, Barbasco ('' Canella winterana'')
File:Canavalia rosea flower.JPG, Haba de playa ('' Canavalia rosea'')
File:Limber Caper (1056623816).jpg, Palinguan ('' Capparis flexuosa'')
File:Capraria biflora (Scott Zona) 001.jpg, Té del país ('' Capraria biflora'')
File:Starr 010520-0082 Cassytha filiformis.jpg, Fideillo ('' Cassytha filiformis'')
File:Flore médicale des Antilles, ou, Traité des plantes usuelles (Pl. 348) (7795720252).jpg, Bejuco de caro ('' Cissus trifoliata'')
File:Yellow Spider Flower Cleome viscosa.jpg, Volantín ('' Cleome viscosa'')
File:Coccoloba diversifolia - Jacquin.jpg, Uvilla ('' Coccoloba diversifolia'')
File:Seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera) shrub at Playa Lucia, Yabucoa, Puerto Rico.jpg, Uva de playa (''
Coccoloba uvifera
''Coccoloba uvifera'' is a species of tree and flowering plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Its common names include seagrape and baygrape. It is native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean. It has edible fru ...
Conocarpus erectus
''Conocarpus erectus'', commonly called buttonwood or button mangrove, is a hardy species of mangrove shrub in the family Combretaceae.
Taxonomy
These two varieties are not accepted as distinct by all authorities:
*''C. e.'' var. ''erectus' ...
'')
File:Crescentia cujete (fruit and foilage).jpg, Higüera (''
Crescentia cujete
''Crescentia cujete'', commonly known as the calabash tree, is a species of flowering plant a medium size tree in the trumpet vine family Bignoniaceae native to the Americas, and which is grown in Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America, So ...
'')
File:Cynodon dactylon.jpg, Yerba Bermuda (''
Cynodon dactylon
''Cynodon dactylon'', commonly known as Bermuda grass, also known as couch grass in Australia and New Zealand, is a grass found worldwide. It is native to Europe, Africa, Australia and much of Asia. It has been introduced to the Americas. Contra ...
Dactyloctenium aegyptium
''Dactyloctenium aegyptium'', or Egyptian crowfoot grass is a member of the family Poaceae native to Africa and Asia. The plant mostly grows in heavy soils at damp sites.
Description
This grass creeps and has a straight shoot which are usuall ...
'')
File:Royal Ponciana.jpg, Flamboyán (''
Delonix regia
''Delonix regia'' is a species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae native to Madagascar. It is noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of orange-red flowers over summer. In many tropical part ...
Eleusine indica
''Eleusine indica'', the Indian goosegrass, yard-grass, goosegrass, wiregrass, or crowfootgrass, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. It is a small annual grass distributed throughout the warmer areas of the world to about 50 degrees lati ...
'')
File:Chromolaena odorata by Ashasathees.jpg, Cariaquillo santa maría ('' Eupatorium odoratum'')
File:Euphorbia tirucalli in the wild by tonrulkens.jpg, Esqueleto ('' Eupatorium odoratum'')
File:Ficus citrifolia.jpg, Jagüey (''
Ficus citrifolia
''Ficus citrifolia'', also known as the shortleaf fig, giant bearded fig, Jagüey, wild banyantree and Wimba tree, is a species of banyan native to southern Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America south to Par ...
'')
File:F. dichotoma.jpg, Junquito (''
Fimbristylis dichotoma
''Fimbristylis dichotoma'', commonly known as forked fimbry or eight day grass, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to tropical areas.
Description
The annual or perennial plant, 10–80 cm tall, with numerous long stems abou ...
'')
File:Forestiera segregata 003 by Scott Zona.jpg, Privet (ink-bush) (''
Forestiera segregata
''Forestiera segregata'' is a species of flowering plant in the olive family known by the common names Florida privet, Florida swampprivet, and southern privet. It is native to the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, including Puerto Rico and the Cay ...
Guaiacum officinale
''Guaiacum officinale'', commonly known as roughbark lignum-vitae, guaiacwood or gaïacwood, is a species of tree in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae, that is native to the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America.
Description
This sm ...
Heteropogon contortus
''Heteropogon contortus'' is a tropical, perennial tussock grass with a native distribution encompassing Southern Africa, southern Asia, Northern Australia, Oceania, and southwestern North America. The species has also become a naturalised weed ...
Hippomane mancinella
The manchineel tree (''Hippomane mancinella'') is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). Its native range stretches from tropical southern North America to northern South America.
The name ''manchineel'' (sometimes sp ...
'')
File:Ipomoea pes-caprae 3.JPG, Bejuco de playa (''
Ipomoea pes-caprae
''Ipomoea pes-caprae'', also known as bayhops, bay-hops, beach morning glory, railroad vine, or goat's foot, is a common pantropical creeping vine belonging to the family Convolvulaceae. It grows on the upper parts of beaches and endures salted a ...
'')
File:Bellyache Bush (Jatropha gossipifolia) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 9473.jpg, Túa-túa ('' Jatropha gossypiifolia'')
File:Krugiodendron ferreum - McKee Botanical Garden - Vero Beach, Florida - DSC03107.jpg, Bariaco ('' Krugiodendron ferreum'')
File:Laguncularia racemosa.jpg, Mangle blanco (''
Laguncularia racemosa
''Laguncularia'' is a genus of plants in the family Combretaceae. The only species in the genus is ''Laguncularia racemosa'', the white mangrove.
It is native to the coasts of western Africa from Senegal to Cameroon, the Atlantic Coast of the Am ...
Leucaena leucocephala
''Leucaena leucocephala'' is a small fast-growing Mimosoideae, mimosoid tree native to southern Mexico and northern Central America (Belize and Guatemala) and is now naturalized throughout the tropics including parts of Asia.
Common names inclu ...
Melicoccus bijugatus
''Melicoccus bijugatus'' is a fruit-bearing tree in the soapberry family Sapindaceae, native or naturalized across the New World tropics including South and Central America, and parts of the Caribbean. Its stone-bearing fruits, commonly called ...
'')
File:Metopium toxiferum.jpg, Papayo (''
Metopium toxiferum
''Metopium toxiferum'', the poisonwood, Florida poisontree, coral sumac, or hog gum, is a species of flowering tree in the cashew or sumac family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to the American Neotropics. It produces the irritant urushiol muc ...
'')
File:ParkinsoniaAculeata.jpg, Palo de rayo (''
Parkinsonia aculeata
''Parkinsonia aculeata'' is a species of perennial flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. Common names include palo verde, Mexican palo verde, Parkinsonia, Jerusalem thorn, jelly bean tree, palo de rayo, and retama.
Etymology
The genus na ...
'')
File:Passiflora suberosa flower.jpg, Flor de pasión (''
Passiflora suberosa
''Passiflora suberosa'' is a species of passionflower that is native to the Americas. It is commonly known as corkystem passionflower due to the corkiness of older stems. Other common names include corky passion vine, cork-bark passion flower, ...
Pennisetum setaceum
''Cenchrus setaceus'', commonly known as crimson fountaingrass, is a C4 carbon fixation, C4 Perennial plant, perennial bunch grass that is native to open, scrubby habitats in East Africa, tropical Africa, the Middle East and south-western Asia. ...
'')
File:Dates on date palm.jpg, Palma de datil (''
Phoenix dactylifera
''Phoenix dactylifera'', commonly known as the date palm, is a flowering-plant species in the palm family Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet #Fruits, fruit called dates. The species is widely cultivated across North Africa, northern A ...
Portulaca oleracea
''Portulaca oleracea'' (common purslane, also known as little hogweed, or pursley) is a succulent plant in the family Portulacaceae.
Description
The plant may reach in height. It has smooth, reddish, mostly prostrate stems, and the leaves, w ...
'')
File:Vilaiti Keekar (Prosopis juliflora) W IMG 6935.jpg, Bayahonda (''
Prosopis juliflora
''Neltuma juliflora '' (, ''Cuji'' in Venezuela, ''Trupillo'' in Colombia, ''Aippia'' in the Wayuunaiki language and long-thorn kiawe in Hawaii), formerly ''Prosopis juliflora'', is a shrub or small tree in the family Fabaceae, a kind of mesquit ...
Rhizophora mangle
''Rhizophora mangle'', also known as the red mangrove, is a salt-tolerant, small-to-medium sized evergreen tree restricted to coastal, estuarine ecosystems along the southern portions of North America, the Caribbean as well as Central America ...
'')
File:Rivina humilis plant.jpg, Carmín (''
Rivina humilis
''Rivina humilis'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Petiveriaceae. It was formerly placed in the pokeweed family, Phytolaccaceae. It can be found in the southern United States, the Caribbean, Central America, and tropical South Amer ...
'')
File:(Roystonea borinquena) palmeiras imperiais, sao paulo botanical garden Arboretum J Botanico Sao Paulo Brazil.jpg, Palma real ('' Roystonea borinquena'')
File:Ruppia maritima South Chungcheong, South Korea 27 Jun 2006.jpg, Yerba de zanja (''
Ruppia maritima
''Ruppia maritima'' is an aquatic plant species commonly known as beaked tasselweed, beaked ditchgrass, ditch grass, tassel pondweed and widgeon grass. Despite its scientific name, it is not a marine plant; is perhaps best described as a salt- ...
'')
File:Rhyncosia minima.jpg, Frijolillo (''
Rhynchosia minima
''Rhynchosia minima'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names least snout-bean, burn-mouth-vine, and jumby-bean. It can be found on every continent.Morris, J. B. (2008)''Rhynchosia minima'' (L.) DC. - regen ...
Sesuvium portulacastrum
''Sesuvium portulacastrum'' is a sprawling perennial herb in the family Aizoaceae that grows in coastal and mangrove areas throughout much of the world. It grows in sandy clay, coastal limestone and sandstone, tidal flats and salt marshes, throug ...
Solanum elaeagnifolium
''Solanum elaeagnifolium'', the silverleaf nightshade or silver-leaved nightshade, is a species of plant in the Solanaceae, nightshade family native to North and South America. It is common in parts of southwestern USA, and sometimes weed of wes ...
'')
File:Starr 010202-0207 Sporobolus virginicus.jpg, Matojo de burro (''
Sporobolus virginicus
''Sporobolus virginicus'', known by numerous common names including seashore dropseed, marine couch, sand couch, salt couch grass, saltwater couch, coastal rat-tail grass, and nioaka, is a species of Poaceae, grass with a wide distribution.
Desc ...
Tabebuia heterophylla
''Tabebuia heterophylla'' is a species of tree native to the Caribbean, and is also cultivated elsewhere. It is also known as roble blanco, pink manjack, pink trumpet tree, white cedar, and whitewood.
Description
''Tabebuia heterophylla'' grows ...
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File:Starr 070906-8348 Talinum paniculatum.jpg, Lengua de vaca ('' Talinum paniculatum'')
File:Tamarindus indica pods.JPG, Tamarindo (''
Tamarindus indica
Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the f ...
Thespesia populnea
''Thespesia populnea'', commonly known as the portia tree (), Pacific rosewood, Indian tulip tree, or milo, among other names, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is a tree found commonly on coasts ar ...
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File:Tillandsia recurvata.jpg, Pirigallo ('' Tillandsia recurvata'')
File:Megathyrsus maximus whole4 (7370586296).jpg, Yerba de guinea ('' Urochloa maxima'')
File:Cyanthillium cinereum in Kadavoor.jpg, Yerba socialista ('' Vernonia cinerea'')
Bubulcus ibis
The western cattle egret (''Ardea ibis'') is a species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. Formerly, most taxonomic authorities lumped this species and the eastern cattle egret together (called t ...
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File:Egretta caerulea -Cananeia, Sao Paulo, Brasil-8.jpg, Garza azul ('' Egretta caerulea'')
File:Egretta thula at Las Gallinas Wildlife Ponds.jpg, Garza blanca (''
Egretta thula
The snowy egret (''Egretta thula'') is a small white heron. The genus name comes from Provençal French for the little egret, , which is a diminutive of , 'heron'. The species name ''thula'' is the Araucano term for the black-necked swan, app ...
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File:Tricolored Heron by Dan Pancamo.jpg, Garza pechiblanca ('' Egretta tricolor'')
File:Nycticorax violaceus (at beach).jpg, Yaboa común ('' Nyctanassa violacea'')
File:Cathartes aura -Florida -USA -flying-8-4c.jpg, Aura tiñosa (''
Cathartes aura
The turkey vulture (''Cathartes aura'') is the most widespread of the New World vultures. One of three species in the genus '' Cathartes'' of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of Sou ...
Columbina passerina
The common ground dove (''Columbina passerina'') is a small bird that inhabits the southern United States, parts of Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. It is considered to be the smallest dove that inhabits the United State ...
Dendroica adelaidae
Adelaide's warbler (''Setophaga adelaidae''), or reinita mariposera (in Puerto Rican Spanish) is a bird endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico belonging to the genus ''Setophaga'' of the family Parulidae (New World warblers).
Taxonomy
The ...
Fregata magnificens
The magnificent frigatebird (''Fregata magnificens''), frigate petrel or man o' war is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. With a length of and wingspan of , it is the largest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtr ...
Molothrus bonariensis
The shiny cowbird (''Molothrus bonariensis'') is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds in most of South America except for dense forests and areas of high altitude such as mountains. Since 1900 the shiny cowbird's range ha ...
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File:Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) RWD.jpg, Chango ('' Quiscalus niger'')
File:Laughing-gull.jpg, Gaviota gallega ('' Larus atricilla'')
File:Mockingbird in Bay Ridge (85082).jpg, Ruiseñor ('' Mimus polyglottos'')
File:Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) RWD.jpg, Zorzal de patas coloradas ('' Turdus plumbeus'')
File:2010-kabini-osprey.jpg, águila de mar (''
Pandion haliaetus
The osprey (; ''Pandion haliaetus''), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a Diurnality, diurnal, piscivore, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor (bird), raptor, reaching more than ...
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File:Waiting - Flickr - Andrea Westmoreland.jpg, Pelicano pardo (''
Pelecanus occidentalis
The brown pelican (''Pelecanus occidentalis'') is a bird of the pelican family, Pelecanidae, one of three species found in the Americas and one of two that feed by diving into water. It is found on the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey to the mouth ...
Actitis macularia
The spotted sandpiper (''Actitis macularius'') is a small shorebird. Together with its sister species the common sandpiper (''A. hypoleucos''), it makes up the genus '' Actitis''. They replace each other geographically; stray birds may settle ...
Arenaria interpres
The ruddy turnstone (''Arenaria interpres'') is a small cosmopolitan wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus ''Arenaria''.
It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plov ...
Tringa solitaria
The solitary sandpiper (''Tringa solitaria'') is a small shorebird. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the Neo-Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek ''trungas'', a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbin ...
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File:Puerto Rican Stripe-headed Tanager (male) (5403225223).jpg, Reina mora (''
Spindalis portoricensis
The Puerto Rican spindalis (''Spindalis portoricensis'') is a bird endemic to the island of Puerto Rico, where it is commonly known as ''reina mora'' or ''cigua puertorriqueña''. The species is widely distributed throughout the island and is an ...
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File:PuertoRicanTodyJG.jpg, San Pedrito (''
Todus mexicanus
The Puerto Rican tody (''Todus mexicanus''), locally known in Puerto Rican Spanish, Spanish as ''San Pedrito'' ("little Saint Peter"), is a bird Endemism in birds, endemic to the Geography of Puerto Rico, main island of Puerto Rico. In 2022, the ...
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File:Puerto Rican Flycatcher.jpg, Juí de Puerto Rico (''
Myiarchus antillarum
The Puerto Rican flycatcher (''Myiarchus antillarum''), or juí is a tyrant flycatcher endemic to the Puerto Rican archipelago and one of the 22 species belonging to the genus ''Myiarchus'' of the family Tyrannidae.
See also
* Fauna of Puert ...
Tyrannus dominicensis
The gray kingbird or grey kingbird (''Tyrannus dominicensis''), also known as pitirre, petchary or white-breasted kingbird, is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatchers family Tyrannidae. The species was first described on the island of Hispanio ...
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Non-birds
=Mammals
=
File:Rattus rattus03.jpg, Rata negra (''
Rattus rattus
The black rat (''Rattus rattus''), also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus ''Rattus'', in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is ...
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File:Rattus norvegicus 1.jpg, Rata común (''
Rattus norvegicus
''Rattus'' is a genus of muroid rodents, all typically called rats. However, the term rat can also be applied to rodent species outside of this genus.
Species and description
The best-known ''Rattus'' species are the black rat (''R. rattus' ...
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File:House mouse.jpg, Ratón (''
Mus musculus
The house mouse (''Mus musculus'') is a small mammal of the rodent family Muridae, characteristically having a pointed snout, large rounded ears, and a long and almost hairless tail. It is one of the most abundant species of the genus ''Mus (genu ...
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File:Small asian mongoose.jpg, Mangosta ('' Herpestes auropunctatus'')
File:Stray dogs crosswalk.jpg, Perro sato (''
Canis familiaris
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a Domestication of vertebrates, domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was Selective breeding, selectively bred from a population of wolves ...
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=Reptiles
=
File:Brook's House Gecko.png, Salamanquesa ('' Hemidactylus brooki haitianus'')
File:Sphaerodactylus macrolepis (cropped).jpg, Salamanquita de la Virgen (''
Sphaerodactylus macrolepis
''Sphaerodactylus macrolepis'', also known as the big-scaled dwarf gecko or the big-scaled least gecko, is a lizard of the ''Sphaerodactylus'' genus. It was first documented in 1859 in the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, specifical ...
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File:Large anolis cristatellus.jpg, Lagartijo común (''
Anolis cristatellus
''Anolis cristatellus'' is a small species of Anolis, anole, belonging to the Dactyloidae Family (biology), family of reptiles. The species is native to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. and British Virgin Islands, with Introduced sp ...
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File:Anolis pulchellus.JPG, Lagartijo jardinero ('' Anolis pulchellus'')
File:Lagartijo jardinero del sur (Anolis poncensis), en Ponce, Puerto Rico (DSC00434A).jpg, Lagartijo jardinero del sur ('' Anolis poncensis'')
File:Puerto rican ameiva.jpg, Siguana ('' Ameiva exsul'')
=Amphibians
=
File:Young Bufo marinus.jpg, Sapo común ('' Bufo marinus'')
File:Common Coquí.jpg, Coquí común ('' Eleutherodactylus coqui'')
File:Leptodactylus albilabris.jpg, Ranita de labio blanco (''
Leptodactylus albilabris
''Leptodactylus albilabris'' is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae.
Common names
Its local name is ranita de labio blanco or sapito de labio blanco ("white-lipped froglet") and English name either Gunther's white-lipped frog or Hisp ...
Cerrillos State Forest
Cerrillos State Forest is one of the 21 state forests in Puerto Rico. It is located in barrio Maragüez, in the municipality of Ponce, and covers of valleys and mountains in the foothills of the Cordillera Central mountain range. The forest ha ...
*
Toro Negro State Forest
Toro Negro State Forest (Spanish: ''Bosque Estatal de Toro Negro'') is one of the 21 forests that make up the public forests system in Puerto Rico. It is also Puerto Rico's highest cloud forest. It is in the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico, Cord ...
Notes
References
Further reading
* Dávila, D. and Sustache, J. (2004) Informe sobre el valor natural del Área Natural Punta Cucharas, Barrio Canas, Ponce. Informe, Áreas de Planificación Integral, División de Patrimonio Natural, Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales, Puerto Rico: Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico.
* Hernández-Delgado, E. A. (2010) Baseline biological characterization of coral reefs at Punta Cucharas Natural Reserve, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
* Méndez-Gallardo and Salguero-Faría (2008) Puerto Rico chapter. In: Important Bird Areas in the Caribbean: key sites for conservation. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. (BirdLife Conservation Series No. 15).
* Vásquez Cruz, R., Carrero Morales, C. J., Ramos García, J., Valdés, A. K., Maldonado Arroyo, A. and Pons Cintrón, G. (2011) Informe final del proyecto de monitoreo socio-económico en las Áreas Protegidas Marinas y costeras de Puerto Rico. Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios del Litoral, Universidad de Puerto Rico en Mayagüez. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales de Puerto Rico.
''Puerto Rico Statewide Assessment and Strategies for Forest Resources.'' Government of Puerto Rico. Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. (n.d.; ca. 2011) 171 pages.
''Puerto Rico Statewide Assessment and Strategies for Forest Resources.'' Government of Puerto Rico. Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. (n.d.; ca. 2011) 100 pages.
''Guide to the Ecological Systems of Puerto Rico.'' Gary L. Miller and Ariel E. Lugo. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. International Institute of Tropical Forestry. General Technical Report IITF-GTR-35. June 2009.
* ''Hydrologic, water-quality, and biological assessment of Laguna de Las Salinas, Ponce, Puerto Rico, January 2003-September 2004.'' Luis R Soler-López, Fernando Gómez-Gómez, and Jesús Rodríguez-Martínez. Office of the Mayor of the Municipality of Ponce, PR, and U.S. Geological Survey. Reston, Va. : U.S. Geological Survey. 2005.