It´s
one of the 46 Natural National Parks of Colombia, created to protect
one of the most important coral reefs of the Caribbean Colombian
Coast.
The
Park has an extension of 120.000 hect., from the high tide line
to the 50 meters depth, it comprises the submarine platform and
the coral reef west of the Barú Island, the reef of the Nuestra
Señora del Rosario and San Bernardo archipelagos and the
submarine platform between these two archipelagos, besides the islands
Tesoro, Rosario, Múcura and Maravilla. This area was declared
Natural National Park due to the need to keep and protect the coral
reef and the associated ecosystems such as the marine pastures and
the mangroves and the numerous species of algae and animals that
have their habitats in the area.
The
23 islands, keys and isles that conform the Archipelago
Nuestra Señora del Rosario were formed relatively
not very long ago, less than 5.000 years, due to the activity of
old mud volcanoes which rose the submarine floor until the favorable
conditions for algae growth which developed the coral reef were
given. With the last freezings the sea level went down and some
areas of the coral reef emerged forming the islands which slowly
were colonized by mangroves and terrestrial vegetation transported
from the continent by currents, winds, and birds. As the centuries
passed three characteristic ecosystems of the islands were consolidated:
coastal lagoons, the mangroves which surround them and the very
dry tropical forests of the interior.
 Man
arrived to the archipelago since the precolumbian times. According
to conquerors´ chronicles its antique settlers made part of
the mocanaes culture, of the Karib family, and based their survival
on mollusk recolection and fishing. There is no evidence that shows
the island was permanently lived before the present century -when
from 1950 on- some Barú Island´s fishermen decided
to establish at the archipelago and dedicate to fishing and coconut
agriculture. Later on -from the 70´s on- wealthy families
from Cartagena and other parts of the country built their country
houses at the islands and the islands began to be known as a turistic
site of great importance.
As
the name indicates Isla Grande is the
biggest island of the archipelago Nuestra Señora del Rosario.
It has around 200 hects., and in it are found the three characteristic
ecosystems of the islands: The coastal and interior lagoons, the
mangroves and the very dry tropical forests. At the interior of
the island there is an environmental interpretation path where the
visitor will acknowledge the natural resources of each one of them.
The
coastal lagoons are saltish bodies of water which constitute the
nursery for the marine species that live at the park such as fish,
crabs, shrimp, snails, jellyfish, and a resting and feeding site
for the migration birds such as the Tanga and Barraquete duck.
 The
mangrove is a tropical forest that develops on the strip between
the sea and the land on very shallow and flooded saltish or salted
water environments. The mangroves are a very important element in
the food chain of the marine dwellers because their leaves fall
and enrich the coastal waters. Among their submerged root systems
many fish, crustaceans and mollusk species find protection and food
to develop during their first years. The mangroves protect the beaches
and coast from the waves avoiding erosion. At the park there are
5 of the 7 species of mangrove found at the American Atlantic, Red
mangrove (Rizophora mangle), White or silly mangrove (Laguncularia
racemosa), Black mangrove (Avicenia germinans), and the Zaragoza
mangrove (Conocarpus erectus).
At
the interior of Isla Grande there are patches of very dry tropical
forest where species of trees which resist very hard grounds and
poor in nutrients and high levels of dryness such as Matarratón,
Higuito, Majagua, Totumo, Indio en cuero, Guásimo, Salazar
and others. Most of them loose their leaves during the summer to
reduce the water loss and survive this dry period, the fallen leaves
contribute to maintain the amount of nutrients in the ground.
The people who live on the island use some of the species with medical
means, such as the Matarraton and Totumo or for feeding means such
as the Hobo and Medlar. In the forest live snakes such as the Mapana
or Candelilla and birds such as the crown pigeon, parakeets and
gavilan pollero have their nests
ENVIRONMENTAL
INTERPRETATION PATH
 |
The National Natural Park Corales del
Rosario and San Bernardo is an area of protection of
the natural resourses. Any intervention of men may alter its
equilibrium. By respecting the laws of the park management
the visitors are contribuiting to the conservation of the
protected resourses. Do not throw trash along the ENVIRONMENTAL
INTERPRETATION PATH.
|
The complete trip of the path takes 2 hours. You may choose shorter
routes, from the hotel to the Lagoon of Silence where you will be
able to watch migration birds that come to the island. The guides
to the path will orient you.
|
