Latin America is one of the regions with the greatest biodiversity in the world, which has allowed the conservation of multiple natural areas

Latin America and the Caribbean have around 2 billion hectares of land, which is equivalent to 15% of the earth's surface. The region also has the largest variety of species and ecoregions in the world and has about one third of the world's renewable water resources.

Leer en español: Estos son los parques naturales más biodiversos de Latinoamérica

Thanks to all the natural resources of the region, it has been possible to develop multiple reserves and protected areas, which have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Among the natural parks with greater biodiversity in Latin America that you should visit are:

• The Maldini National Park, Bolivia: It has been cataloged as the park with the greatest biodiversity in the world, since there are 8,880 registered species in total. Of these, 265 are mammals, 1,028 are birds, 105 are reptiles, 109 are amphibians, 314 are fish, 5,515 are plants, and 1,544 are species and subspecies of butterflies. A curious fact is that at least 124 of these species are new to science.
• Tayrona National Park, Colombia: It is located on the Caribbean coast of the country, has an area of ​​15,000 hectares (12,000 land and 3,000 sea), and a climate that varies between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. It includes ecosystems such as mangroves, corals, thorn bushes and dry, humid and cloudy forests. The park houses more than 100 species of mammals, 350 species of algae, and different types of sponges, crustaceans, and marine species in the ocean ecosystems. In addition, it has 770 different species of plants, ranging from small cacti to giant trees that can reach up to 30 meters of high.
• Manu National Park, Peru: Comprises part of the department of Cusco and the Madre de Dios jungle in the Peruvian Amazon, has an area of ​​more than 2 million hectares, and has a large number of habitats that include high Andean landscapes, forests of clouds and tropical jungle. One thinks that in this great park they are almost 10% of all the vegetal species of the world and that in a single hectare more than 220 species of trees can be found. The park houses more than 20,000 vascular plants, 1,200 species of butterflies, 1,000 birds, 200 mammals and a number that has not yet been confirmed of reptiles, amphibians, and insects. It is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
• Torres del Paine National Park, Chile: It is located in Chilean Patagonia. In it you can see glaciers, mountains and lakes of great beauty and beauty, has an area of ​​181,000 hectares, which are multiple species of plants, birds and mammals. Due to its great importance and beauty it was declared by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve.
• PN Calilegua – Jujuy, Argentina: It is located in the Sierras de Calilegua, in the Southeast of the Province of Jujuy, has an area of ​​76,306 hectares belonging to the Ecoregion of the Jungle of the Yungas. It is the largest protected area in the country dedicated to the conservation of tropical mountain forests. Along the route, you can see three different environments: the pedemontana forest, the montane jungle and the montane forest, each with a vegetation and characteristic species.

Latin American Post | Andrea del Pilar Rojas Riaño
Translated from “Estos son los parques naturales más biodiversos de Latinoamérica”