Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve
UNESCO World Heritage Site / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve is a protected area in the La Mosquitia region on the Caribbean coast of Honduras. With a total area of 5,250 square kilometers (2,030 sq mi), most of the reserve runs along the Río Plátano. The reserve has a number of endangered species and some of the largest remnants of tropical forest in Central America.[1] It has been a World Heritage Site and biosphere reserve since 1982. In 2011, UNESCO placed the reserve on the List of World Heritage in Danger.[1]
Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve | |
---|---|
Location | northeastern Honduras |
Nearest city | Palacios |
Coordinates | 15°44′40″N 84°40′30″W |
Area | 5,300 km2 (2,000 sq mi) |
Established | 1982 |
Governing body | Department of Protected Areas & Wildlife, State Forestry Administration |
Criteria | Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) |
Reference | 196 |
Inscription | 1982 (6th Session) |
Endangered | 1996–2007; 2011–present |
Area | 350,000 ha (860,000 acres) |
Buffer zone | 150,000 ha (370,000 acres) |
The reserve encompasses both mountainous and lowland tropical rainforest, full of diverse wildlife and plant life, and has more than 2000 inhabitants.[1] The reserve is part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor that stretches from Mexico southward through Central America.
Although the reserve covers a large portion of Honduras, very little is recorded about the biological diversity within it.[2] While previous management plans have proven successful, a continued investigation into ongoing management plans and future conservation issues will be necessary to keep this valuable reserve safe. Currently, there are threats to the conservation of the reserve which include illegal hunting, logging, and clearing of land to graze cattle. Recent rafting expeditions from the Rio Plátano headwaters through all three zones of the reserve (cultural, buffer, and core) have documented cattle grazing in the core zone, commercial fishing and hunting camps along the river, and clear cutting of forest near Las Marias.