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La Mina waterfall (La Cascada La Mina) drops 35 feet through huge rocks into a natural pond where hikers can take a break to swim.
El Yunque, located in the eastern area of Puerto Rico, about 25 miles east of San Juan, is the only rain forest that is part of the U.S. National Forest Service. Containing 75 percent of Puerto Rico’s remaining untouched forest, it is one of the most studied and best understood forests in the tropics. Rain falls in El Yunque all year round, more than 200 inches annually—that translates to about 100 billion gallons of rainwater—making it a fantasy land of dense vegetation.
The more than 240 species of trees and plants include some 26 species that are found nowhere else in the world. Many of the forest’s rare species of trees date back 1,000 years. Colorful and unusual flowers brighten the forest, including more than 50 varieties of orchids and a dozen other tropical species such as hibiscus, starflowers, and lilies.
El Yunque is a wildlife refuge. Most of the animal life is nonmammalian. There are no monkeys or cats, for example, but the forest is brimming with many kinds of birds, insects, amphibians, and reptiles. Endangered Puerto Rican parrots live in cavities of larger trees, and coquí frogs can be heard throughout the canopy above, as well as on the forest floor below. Follow the link below to see a slideshow about El Yunque.
Explore More:
1. Investigate how hurricanes hitting the island of Puerto Rico have damaged the forest and affected its wildlife. Which hurricanes created the most devastation in El Yunque?
2. El Yunque is actually comprised of four distinct forests, categorized by the types of trees and vegetation growing in each one. Research the four forests and discuss how different they are from each other. 3. Search online to find video clips of El Yunque that include audio of rain forest sounds, especially the song of the coquí.
Show What You Know:
1. Why is El Yunque part of the U.S. National Forest Service?
2. Among the few types of mammals in El Yunque are eleven species of bats. Discuss what the reasons could be that there are not many species of mammals in El Yunque.