Iguanita Wildlife Refuge

Iguanita Wildlife Refuge
Iguanita Wildlife Refuge
Location	Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica
Coordinates	10°38′N85°38′W / 10.63°N 85.63°W
Area	~1,100 acres
Established	1995
Governing body	National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC)

Last updated February 22, 2024

Iguanita Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge in the Guanacaste Conservation Area located in the Guanacaste Province of northwestern Costa Rica.

Geography

Iguanita Wildlife Refuge is a National Refuge of Costa Rica. It is located on the Nacascolo Peninsula of Costa Rica, about 34.2km from downtown Liberia.^[1] The Refuge corresponds to the Área de Conservación Tempisque (ACT), and is administrated by Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC).^{[ citation needed ]}

Before 1993, communities in Liberia, Sardinal, Palmira, Comunidad, Guardia, and other parts of Costa Rica came together to promote the protection of the natural region and the habitats of Playa Iguanita. Iguanita Wildlife Refuge was created to provide protection to the beach, forests, mangroves and fauna as part of these efforts.^{[ citation needed ]}

Creation

In 1993, a group of leaders from different communities in the area proposed to turn this region into a Refuge Area. They were driven by a desire to maintain, preserve, and develop a natural place like Playa Iguanita. The proposal was approved by Executive Order 23217 from MIRENEM ( currently MINAE ). ICT ( The National Tourism Board). The Refuge was created in 1994 to maintain and develop low-impact tourism.^{[ citation needed ]}

This refuge was decreed to be for the protection of a great diversity of species, and marine and cultural resources. Additionally, it was also to provide opportunities for low-impact investigation, protection, education, and social tourism. This was a response to the increasing social, regional, and political institutions that seek more protection of terrestrial and marine ecosystems in the area. These institutions are also looking for increased maintenance of the popular Playa Iguanita.^[2]

Climate

Iguanita Wildlife Refuge has a warm, dry lowland climate. The area is warmer from October to April, while its rainy season is from May to November.^[1] Guanacaste Province, the area where Iguanita Wildlife Refuge is located, has an average annual temperature of 27°C. However, historical extremes have been as low as 12.8°C and as high as 40.1°C.^{[ citation needed ]}

Importance

Iguanita Wildlife Refuge conserves and protects the local flora and fauna in the area. As much as 84% of the Iguanita Wildlife Refuge is covered with dense mangrove forests, with another 5% covered with less dense mangrove trees. The mangroves provide protection to fish and prawn habitats.^[3] Local communities, including people of Guanacaste such as Liberia, Carrillo, Filadelfia, Bagaces, Tilaran, and Upala, value the mangrove forests.^[2] The wildlife refuge helps preserve old traditions during the Holy Week, New Year, and Holidays of Costa Rica. The coast of Iguanita Wildlife Refuge is also a tourist destination that is well known as a spot for camping and for bonfires along the beach. Tourism plays a huge factor as an income source for protected areas in Costa Rica, which includes Iguanita Wildlife Refuge.^[4]

Biological resources

This area has a tropical climate, with 115 hectares permitting various habitats of flora and fauna with a variety of terrestrial and marine species. There are diversities of natural and cultural resources that include beach, estuary, mangrove swamp, forest, and some archaeological locations.^{[ citation needed ]}

In the National Refuge are some mangrove species known in the Costa Rican Pacific coast. These include the red ( Rhizophora mangle ), the black ( Avicennia germinans ), or the white ( Laguncularia racemosa ). The vast natural area in the refuge also includes a dry forest, where 118 trees species, 150 mushroom species, 135 birds species, and 10 terrestrial mammal species reside. In the marine area of the Refuge, there are 24 mollusk species, 22 fish species, 13 crustacean species, 5 coral species, and 3 echinoderm species. Additionally, there is registration of marine turtle nesting and births.^[2]

Tourism

The importance of the refuge is the protection of a variety of marine species and cultural resources. These give opportunities for research, study, conservation, and attraction of low-impact tourism. The beach has grey sands bathed by the blue waters of Culebra Bay. It is located between dead and active cliffs.^{[ citation needed ]} It is part of Quebrada Grande, the waters of which flow into an estuary with 24 hectares of mangrove swamp. Additionally, it is a 1.5 km long beach with rocky platforms at the base of the cliffs that are exposed at low tide. This Refuge is located in Bahia Culebra. This is in Golfo de Papagayo, which is near many other beaches and places like El Coco, Hermosa, Panama, Alegro Resort Papagayo, Papagayo Marine, Four Season Resort, and others.^{[ citation needed ]} However, it is also a new reservation, and, for this reason, has no important infrastructure. for the moment there is only a big house for the forest rangers.^[5]

Controversies

The coastal zones in Guanacaste are recently at the highest levels of development and construction in Costa Rica. However, in the same way, they present high levels of improvisation and speculation, generating current and future legal problems in public zones and protection areas. These produce problems of sustainability in the zones, as well as deterioration of natural, patrimonial, and cultural resources.

Examples of these problems are existent in Playa Tamarindo, Papagayo, Las Baulas National Marine Park, and many others in Guanacaste. This is a consequence of ICT that gives concessions to International hotels, regardless of its impact on nature. The communities and nearby families disagree with this action because hotel companies developed parts of the refuge into private areas. This control limits Costa Ricans access to public places like beaches that belong to them by law and right. As a consequence, there are some groups working and fighting to maintain the Iguanita Refuge. In response, they have created and developed Associations like Comunal de Carrillo, Integral de Guardia and San Roque, Candega, Barrio Los Angeles, Las Delicias, La Victoria, and Guadalupe and neighbours of Tilaran. Thanks to these people and the support of deputy Ballesteros Vargas, the Iguanita Wildlife Refuge was created in the file Nº 16.349 and published in La Gaceta Nº 186, September 2006. The objective of the Refuge is to ensure the Costa Ricans and Guanacastecos the enjoyment of the Refuge. This gives equality of opportunities and rights in order to allow all citizens to be able to have access to the enjoyment of the beach.^{[ citation needed ]}

An investigation done in 2008 also showed that tourists in Iguanita Wildlife Refuge have started fires in the area, resulting from the bonfires lit on the camping grounds.^[4]

External links

Costa Rica National Parks: Guanacaste National Park

Related Research Articles

Guanacaste is a province of Costa Rica located in the northwestern region of the country, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Alajuela Province to the east, and Puntarenas Province to the southeast. It is the most sparsely populated of all the provinces of Costa Rica. The province covers an area of 10,141 square kilometres (3,915 sq mi) and as of 2010, had a population of 354,154, with annual revenue of $2 billion.

Liberia is a district and the largest city in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica, located 215 kilometres (134 mi) northwest of the national capital, San José. Part of the Liberia canton, it is a major center for the country's tourism industry.

National System of Conservation Areas is part of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) of Costa Rica. It is the administrator for the nation's national parks, conservation areas, and other protected natural areas.

Guanacaste National Park, in Spanish Parque Nacional Guanacaste is a national park in northern Costa Rica. The park is part of the Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site, and stretches from the slopes of the Orosí and Cacao volcanoes west to the Interamerican Highway where it is adjacent to the Santa Rosa National Park. It was created in 1989, partially due to the campaigning and fund-raising of Dr. Daniel Janzen to allow a corridor between the dry forest and rain forest areas which many species migrate between seasonally. The park covers an area of approximately 340 square kilometers, and includes 140 species of mammals, over 300 birds, 100 amphibians and reptiles, and over 10,000 species of insects that have been identified. It was this high density of bio-diversity that encouraged the Costa Rican government to protect this area. The Guanacaste National Park weaves the neighboring Santa Rosa National Park with the high altitude forests of the two volcanoes, Orosi and Cacao, and the rainforest of the Caribbean in the country's north.

Santa Rosa National Park, is a national park, in Guanacaste Province, northwestern Costa Rica, it was created in 1966 by decree 3694.

The Area de Conservación Guanacaste is a network of protected areas and a World Heritage Site in Guanacaste Province, in northwestern Costa Rica. The World Heritage Site contains an unbroken tract of tropical dry forest and important habitat for several vulnerable species, including the Central American tapir, mangrove hummingbird, and the great green macaw. Over 7,000 plant species and 900 vertebrate species have been located in the park.

Las Baulas de Guanacaste Marine National Park is a National Park of Costa Rica and a Ramsar Site. The park is managed by the Tempisque Conservation Area, and covers approximately a 167.3 square kilometres (64.6 sq mi) marine area of the Tamarindo Bay, next to the town of Tamarindo. It supports the largest nesting colony of leatherback sea turtles on the Pacific coast of the Americas. Female leatherbacks often come ashore at Playa Grande between October and May to lay their eggs.

The Nicoya Peninsula is a peninsula on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is divided into two provinces: Guanacaste Province in the north, and the Puntarenas Province in the south. It is located at 10°N 85.4166667°W. It varies from 19 to 37 miles (60 km) wide and is approximately 75 miles (121 km) long, forming the largest peninsula in the country. It is known for its beaches and is a popular tourist destination.

Guanacaste Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by the Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion (SINAC) of Costa Rica for conservation in the northwestern part of Costa Rica. It contains three national parks, as well as wildlife refuges and other nature reserves. The area contains the Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site, which comprises four areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Junquillal Bay Wildlife Refuge</span> Wildlife refuge in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica

Junquillal Bay Wildlife Refuge, also called the Bahia Junquillal National Wildlife Refuge, is a 4.38 km² (1.69 sq mi) wildlife refuge in Guanacaste Province of northwestern Costa Rica.

Arenal Tempisque Conservation Area, is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation in the northwest part of Costa Rica, near the Arenal Volcano and covering part of the Cordillera de Tilarán and Cordillera de Guanacaste. It contains a number of National Parks, Wildlife refuges and Protected Zones. The area was previously known as Arenal Tilarán Conservation Area.

The Gulf of Papagayo is a large body of water off Guanacaste province and the northwestern coast of Costa Rica. The Gulf and its coastline are part of a major tourism project by Costa Rica's government. Among the most popular destinations on the Gulf of Papagayo are Ocotal Beach, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, and Playa Panama. The Papagayo peninsula is the most developed area in the gulf region. The gulf waters are home to many wildlife including orcas.

Playa Grande, also known as Salinas, is a beach community on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica just north of Tamarindo. It is located inside the canton of Santa Cruz in Guanacaste Province. Playa Grande has been part of the Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas since 1990. There are palm trees and vegetation around the beach, which stretches for about 4.5 kilometers. It is part of the Las Baulas National Marine Park, which was established to protect the nesting grounds of endangered leatherback turtles. Playa Grande is one of the major nesting sites for these turtles, and visitors can witness the nesting and hatching process during the nesting season, which typically occurs from October to March. The main attraction of Playa Grande is its surf breaks. The beach has consistent waves. Playa Grande is an ideal destination for nature lovers, with diverse ecosystems surrounding it. Beyond the beach, you can explore the nearby mangrove forests, take boat tours along the estuaries, or venture into the neighboring national parks, such as Rincon de la Vieja or Santa Rosa, which offer hiking trails, wildlife spotting opportunities, and breathtaking landscapes.

Carrillo is a canton in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. The head city is in Filadelfia district.

Tourism in Costa Rica has been one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country and by 1995 became the largest foreign exchange earner. Since 1999, tourism has earned more foreign exchange than bananas, pineapples and coffee exports combined. The tourism boom began in 1987, with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1.03 million in 1999, over 2 million in 2008, to a historical record of 2.66 million foreign visitors in 2015. In 2012, tourism contributed with 12.5% of the country's GDP and it was responsible for 11.7% of direct and indirect employment. In 2009, tourism attracted 17% of foreign direct investment inflows, and 13% in average between 2000 and 2009. In 2010, the tourism industry was responsible for 21.2% of foreign exchange generated by all exports. According to a 2007 report by ECLAC, tourism contributed to a reduction in poverty of 3% in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papagayo Peninsula</span>

Papagayo Peninsula is located on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica in the northwest province of Guanacaste. It is located in the Golfo de Papagayo and was formed by volcanic activity as the Caribbean tectonic plate continuously overrode the Cocos Plate and by subsequent weather erosion. The 15 miles (24 km) at the coastline contains 31 separate beaches. The larger Elena Peninsula Santa to the north protects the waters in the Papagayo Peninsula.

Playas del Coco is one of the oldest beach communities in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. This region is also one of the fastest-growing tourism areas in Costa Rica. A popular destination for both local Costa Ricans and visitors from other countries during the traditional holiday seasons, local Costa Ricans refer to Playas del Coco affectionately as "El Coco". At the same time, travelers from outside of Costa Rica use the name "Coco Beach", when mentioning this locale.

Tortuguero National Park is a national park in the Limón Province of Costa Rica. It is situated within the Tortuguero Conservation Area of the northeastern part of the country. Despite its remote location, reachable only by airplane or boat, it is the third-most visited park in Costa Rica. The park has a large variety of biological diversity due to the existence within the reserve of eleven different habitats, including rainforest, mangrove forests, swamps, beaches, and lagoons. Located in a tropical climate, it is very humid, and receives up to 250 inches (6,400 mm) of rain a year.

Jairo Mora Sandoval Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed Wildlife Refuge, is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area, it was created in 1986 by decree. It protects both a land portion as well as a marine portion. In 2013 the refuge was renamed to honour the murdered environmentalist Jairo Mora Sandoval. In 2014 land along the coast containing a number of small towns was removed from the refuge, due to complaints from the local residents about evictions and destruction of property due to strict building codes. It is one of only two places in Costa Rica where manatees still occur. It is located in a coastal beach region, fronted by coral reefs and clothed in tropical forest, with 1950-3000mm yearly precipitation.

References

1 2 "Guanacaste Costa Rica - Visit Guanacaste" . Retrieved 2020-10-29.
1 2 3 "Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Iguanita". 2014-01-08. Archived from the original on 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
↑ Samper-Villarreal, Jimena; Cortés, Jorge; Benavides-Varela, Catalina (2015-07-02). "Description of the Panamá and Iguanita mangrove stands of Bahía Culebra, North Pacific coast of Costa Rica". Revista de Biología Tropical. 60 (6): 109. doi: 10.15517/rbt.v60i2.19973 . ISSN 2215-2075.
1 2 Panosso Netto, Alexandre; Trigo, Luiz Gonzaga Godoi, eds. (2015). Tourism in Latin America. Cham: Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-05735-4. ISBN 978-3-319-05734-7.
↑ "Latin America Vacations, Mexico, Vacations, Brazil Vacation, Travel, Tour Packages, Peru Tours, Trips, Vacation Packages, Central America, South America, Ecuador, Galapagos, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Machu Picchu, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala Vacations". www.latinamericacollection.com. Retrieved 2020-10-29.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[:3-1] 1 2 "Guanacaste Costa Rica - Visit Guanacaste" . Retrieved 2020-10-29.

[:0-2] 1 2 3 "Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Iguanita". 2014-01-08. Archived from the original on 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2020-10-29.

[3] Samper-Villarreal, Jimena; Cortés, Jorge; Benavides-Varela, Catalina (2015-07-02). "Description of the Panamá and Iguanita mangrove stands of Bahía Culebra, North Pacific coast of Costa Rica". Revista de Biología Tropical. 60 (6): 109. doi: 10.15517/rbt.v60i2.19973 . ISSN 2215-2075.

[:1-4] 1 2 Panosso Netto, Alexandre; Trigo, Luiz Gonzaga Godoi, eds. (2015). Tourism in Latin America. Cham: Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-05735-4. ISBN 978-3-319-05734-7.

[:2-5] "Latin America Vacations, Mexico, Vacations, Brazil Vacation, Travel, Tour Packages, Peru Tours, Trips, Vacation Packages, Central America, South America, Ecuador, Galapagos, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Machu Picchu, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala Vacations". www.latinamericacollection.com. Retrieved 2020-10-29.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]