
The Parque Nacional del Este describes a trapezoidal-shaped space with terrestrial and marine areas, which includes Catalinita Island and Saona Island, the latter the only inhabited place within the natural reserve. According to Law no. 202-04 has a total area of 796.40 km2 (414.62 km2 of land area and 381.78 km2 of marine area). It occupies about 305.06 km2 of the La Altagracia province and about 109.55 km2 of the La Romana province.
The Park is a very little modified territory that protects one of the most important protected areas of the Caribbean archipelago. Inside, three life zones are represented: the subtropical humid forest, the subtropical dry forest and the transition forest between the two previous ones. Forests on rock occupy an area of more than 80%, while mangrove forests cover the swampy coastal areas.
The climate is humid tropical. It is characterized by being warm and having a lot of rainfall at the same time.
The flora and fauna of the Parque Nacional del Este have been extensively studied. More than 570 species have been catalogued, of which about 60 are endemic. The vegetation is rich and diverse.
The Park is not only abundant in biodiversity, it also shelters important protected archaeological sites in a system of more than 20 ceremonial plazas, 8 aboriginal cemeteries and 27 reported caves, along with many other archaeological sites, in which cultural manifestations of the various aboriginal groups that inhabited the island in the pre-Columbian period.
So far, the main rock art sites identified in the Parque Nacional del Este are:
Jose Maria Cave
Ramoncito's cave
Bridge Cave
Welcome Cave
Panchito's Cave
Pilon Cave
Hurricane Cave
Havilla cave
Chicho Spring
Spring of Chicho II
Cayuco Spring
Owl Spring
The expressions of the primitive inhabitants of the place include petroglyphs and pictographs, some of these with themes alluding to daily life, religious beliefs and the attempt to understand the phenomena of the world known to them. In addition to the immense wealth of rock art, the findings of the explorations carried out in the various caves and on Saona Island reveal the presence of objects made of ceramics, stones and other minerals.
Address and/or Location:
The Parque Nacional del Este is located in the extreme southeast of the country, on land corresponding to the provinces of La Romana and La Altagracia. The protected area is delimited by the La Romana-Bayahibe and La Romana-Higuey highways up to the Boca de Yuma junction and the Boca de Yuma highway to the town of San Rafael de Yuma. It is bounded to the south by the waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Coordinates: 18°5'-18°25' North to 68°35'-68°50' West
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