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Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas
Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve
Letrero en la Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas, Bo. Canas, Ponce, Puerto Rico, mirando al sur (DSC02251).jpg
Sign at the entrance to Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas
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Location Barrio Canas,
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Nearest city Ponce
Area Total (Land):
698 cuerdas (678 acres)
Total (Marine):
3,516 cuerdas (3,415 acres)
Las Salinas Lagoon only: 347,898 m2 (86 acres)
Designation 2008
Governing body Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
Fauna and Flora at
Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas
Location Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Established 2008
Named for Coastal geographical formation
Governing body Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
Website Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources

Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas (Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve) is a nature reserve in Barrio Canas, Ponce, Puerto Rico. It consists of both a land area component as well as an offshore marine area. The land component has an area of 698 cuerdas (678 acres) while the marine component has an expanse of 3,516 cuerdas (3,415 acres), for a total area of 4,214 cuerdas (4,093 acres). The Reserve consists of mangrove ecosystems, coastal sand dunes, a saline lagoon known as Laguna Las Salinas, open water, and a century-old local community. The lagoon occupies and area of 347,898 m2 (86 acres) Ecological protection is managed and enforced by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. Eight activities are allowed at the Reserve: scuba diving, boating, fishing, hiking, sun bathing, photography, bird watching and canoeing. Activities prohibited are: Camping, crabbing/trapping, horseback riding, water crafting, and hunting. Pets, ATVs, and fireplaces are also prohibited.

History

Laguna de las Salinas, Bo. Canas, Ponce, Puerto Rico, vista desde el Hotel Ponce Holiday Inn, mirando al sur (DSC02873)
Laguna de las Salinas, the highlight of Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas

In 2001, the Puerto Rico Ornithology Society started promoting the conservation of the Las Cucharas area and proposed it as an Important Area for the Conservation of Birds. Then, during 2003–2004, the United States Geological Survey, with the support of the Ponce Municipal Government, conducted a hydrology study of Laguna Las Salinas. In June 2004, the Integrated Planning Area of the Natural Patrimony Division of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico (DRNA) issued a report on the natural value of the Punta Cucharas area. In 2008, Amigos de La Laguna (Friends of the Lagoon), a local concerned citizens group, issued a press release showing the impact that construction of the Gasoducto del Norte was to have on the lagoon. In August 2008, the Legislature of Puerto Rico passed Law 227 designating the Punta Cucharas natural area as a nature reserve and creating the Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve using, among others, the June 2004 DRNA report. On 9 August 2008, Punta Cucharas became a protected area under the law.

Location and size

The area is located in the coastal and the subcoastal zones of the southern end of Barrio Canas. The area is bounded in the west by a tourist development, including a hotel, in the north by modern residential compounds, and in the south by the Caribbean Sea. It includes all the land southeast of Road PR-2 in Barrio Canas and the marine component of Isla de Ratones and Isla Cardona. The Caribbean Sea Marine Extent component includes the waters south of points from Punta Cucharas in the west and Rio Matilde in the east, both in the Ponce mainland, and north of points from Isla de Ratones in the west and Isla Cardona in the east, both islands south of Ponce. Isla de Ratones and Isla Cardona are both included in the Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve.

It consists of a salt water lagoon known as Laguna Salinas (Salinas Lagoon) that measures 347,898 square meters, as well as forestland systems of mangroves and other coastal forests, and different types of estuary and marshy wetlands. It also includes extensive areas of sand dunes covered by herbaceous vegetation part of which are gramineous plants. The Reserve's total area is 698 cuerdas. The Salinas Lagoon has a mangrove that expands about 37 acres.

Ecological value

The Municipality of Ponce recognized the ecological value of the Punta Cucharas natural area and included a Special Plan PL. E. 2, on La Matilde Area (the Area that includes the Punta Cuchara area) in its Territorial Plan (Integral Review effective on 23 December 2003), in its Ordination Regulations component. This Special Plan intended to facilitate a residential, tourist and commercial development, contingent on the protection of natural resources such as Laguna Salinas and the wetlands to the south of the area and the conversion of PR-2 to an expressway and the construction of parallel service roads. Among the objectives of the Municipality of Ponce development were the establishment of a protection zone for wetlands and the Laguna Salinas.

The Action Program of the Territorial Ordinance Plan (1993) Judicial Ruling known as Ruling JAC 93–0485 in "Municipality of Ponce vs. Government of Puerto Rico", a.k.a., Ponce en Marcha was a $615,000 yet-to-be-built project in the Hacienda La Matilde area programmed to be finished during the 1996-97 of the Government of Puerto Rico fiscal year. However, "recognizing the great ecological value of the Punta Cucharas ecosystem, the Territorial Ordinance Plan of the Municipality of Ponce sought to protect the Punta Cucharas area, identifying it as a "high interest" ecotourism area.

Shoreline geology and habitats

The shoreline habitat consists of exposed mangroves, mixed sand and gravel beaches, and fine grained sandy beaches. The Reserve wildlife consists of wading birds and shore birds.

Flora and fauna

The Reserve has 148 flora species, 56 bird species (including both resident or migratory species), five mammal species, nine reptile species, five amphibians, and six fish species.

Flora

Critically endangered plant species include Cordia rupicola and Leptocereus quadricostatus (sebucan); Endangered is Guaiacum officinale (guaiac tree) and vulnerable is the Maytenus ponceana. Some of the 147 plant species found at the Punta Cucharas Reserve are listed below.

No. Species Family Common Name (Spanish) Common Name (English)
1 Aloe vera Liliaceae sábila aloe vera
2 Acacia farnesiana Fabaceae aroma sweet acacia
3 Achyranthes aspera Amaranthaceae rabo de gato devil's horsewhip
4 Annona glabra Annonaceae cayur corkwood
5 Antigonon leptopus Polygonaceae bellísima coral vine
6 Arundo donax Poaceae caña de castilla Spanish cane
7 Avicennia germinans Verbenaceae mangle negro black mangrove
8 Batis maritima Bataceae yerba de sal saltwort
9 Boerhavia diffusa Nyctaginaceae mata pavo tarvine
10 Bucida buceras Combretaceae ucar bullet tree
11 Bursera simaruba Burseraceae almácigo copperwood
12 Caesalpinia bonduc Fabaceae mato de playa gray nicker
13 Calotropis procera Asclepiadaceae algodón de seda king's crown
14 Canella winterana Canellaceae barbasco cinnamon bark
15 Canavalia rosea Fabaceae haba de playa beach bean
16 Capparis flexuosa Capparaceae palinguan --
17 Capraria biflora Scrophulariaceae té del país goatweed
18 Cassytha filiformis Lauraceae fideillo lovevine
19 Cissus trifoliata Vitaceae bejuco de caro sorrelvine
20 Cleome viscosa Capparaceae volantín spiderflower
21 Coccoloba diversifolia Polygonaceae uvilla pigeonplum
22 Coccoloba uvifera Polygonaceae uva de playa seagrape
23 Colubrina elliptica Rhamnaceae mabí soldierwood
24 Commelina sp. Commelinaceae cohítre dayflower
25 Conocarpus erectus Combretaceae mangle blanco buttomwood
26 Crescentia cujete Bignoniaceae higüera calabash
27 Cynodon dactylon Poaceae yerba Bermuda Bermuda grass
28 Dactyloctenium aegyptium Poaceae yerba egipcia Egyptian crowfoot grass
29 Delonix regia Fabaceae flamboyán poinciana
30 Desmanthus virgatus Fabaceae desmanto wild tantan
31 Digitaria decumbens Poaceae pangola digitgrass
32 Eleusine indica Eleusine indica yerba dulce yard-grass
33 Eupatorium odoratum Compositae cariaquillo santa maría devil weed
34 Euphorbia tirucalli Euphorbiaceae esqueleto naked lady
35 Ficus citrifolia Moraceae jagüey banyantree
36 Fimbristylis dichotoma Cyperaceae junquito forked fimbry
37 Forestiera segregata Oleaceae privet ink-bush
38 Furcraea tuberosa Agavaceae maguey cabuyo
39 Gossipium barbadense Malvaceae algodón cotton
40 Guaiacum officinale Zygophyllaceae guayacan guaiacwood
41 Guazuma ulmifolia Sterculiaceae guácima bay cedar
42 Gymnanthes lucida Euphorbiaceae yaití crabwood
43 Heliotropium curassavicum Boraginaceae cotorrera de playa seaside heliotrope
44 Heteropogon contortus Poaceae yerba torcida black speargrass
45 Hippomane mancinella Euphorbiaceae manzanillo manchineel tree
46 Ipomoea pes-caprae Convolvulaceae bejuco de playa beach morning glory
47 Jatropha gossypiifolia Euphorbiaceae túa-túa bellyache bush
48 Krugiodendron ferreum Rhamnaceae bariaco leadwood
49 Laguncularia racemosa Verbenaceae mangle blanco white mangrove
50 Lantana involucrata Verbenaceae cariaquillo buttonsage
51 Leucaena leucocephala Fabaceae zarzilla white leadtree
52 Macfadyena unguis-cati Bignoniaceae uña de gato cat's claw creeper
53 Melicoccus bijugatus Sapindaceae quenepa genip
54 Metopium toxiferum Anacardiaceae papayo poisonwood
55 Opuntia repens Cactaceae cactus saltarín* roving pricklypear
56 Parkinsonia aculeata Fabaceae palo de rayo Parkinsonia aculeata
57 Passiflora suberosa Passifloraceae flor de pasión passionflower
58 Paspalum laxum Poaceae matojo de arena bahiagrass
59 Pennisetum setaceum Poaceae yerba crimson fountaingrass
60 Phoenix dactylifera Araceae palma de datil date plam
61 Pilosocereus royenii Cactaceae sebucan cactus
62 Pisonia albida Nyctaginaceae corcho birdcatcher tree
63 Pithecellobium dulce Fabaceae guamá americano --
64 Plumbago scandens Plumbaginaceae meladillo doctorbush
65 Portulaca oleracea Portulacaceae verdolaga pigweed
66 Prosopis juliflora Fabaceae bayahonda mesquite
67 Randia aculeata Rubiaceae tintillo white indigoberry
68 Rhizophora mangle Rhizophoraceae mangle rojo red mangrove
69 Rivina humilis Phytolaccaceae carmín pigeonberry
70 Roystonea borinquena Arecaceae palma real Puerto Rican royal palm
71 Ruppia maritima Ruppiaceae yerba de zanja ditch-grass
72 Rhynchosia minima Fabaceae frijolillo jumby-bean
73 Sesbania sericea Fabaceae papagayo riverhemp
74 Sesuvium portulacastrum Portulacaceae verdolaga rosada shoreline purslane
75 Solanum elaeagnifolium Solanaceae trompillo silverleaf nightshade
76 Sporobolus virginicus Poaceae matojo de burro seashore dropseed
77 Tabebuia heterophylla Bignoniaceae roble blanco white cedar
78 Talinum paniculatum Portulacaceae lengua de vaca pink baby's-breath
79 Tamarindus indica Fabaceae tamarindo tamarind
80 Thespesia populnea Malvaceae emajagüilla Portia tree
81 Tillandsia recurvata Bromeliaceae pirigallo small ballmoss
82 Urochloa maxima Poaceae yerba de guinea Guinea grass
83 Vernonia cinerea Compositae yerba socialista little ironweed

Fauna

Birds

Fifty-six bird species have been identified in the Reserve. Five of them are endemic species. A partial catalog of the bird species found in the Reserve includes Charrancito (Sternula antillarum), a key IBA water foul species that breeds in the area. Endemic species are: Zumbador Verde (Anthracothorax viridis), (Chlorostilbon maugaeus), San Pedrito (Todus mexicanus), Carpintero (Melanerpes portoricensis), Juí (Myiarchus antillarum), Bienteveo (Vireo latimeri), Reinita Mariposera (Dendroica adelaidae), Comeñame (Loxigilla portoricensis), and Reina Mora (Spindalis portoricensis). Mariquita ("Agelaius xanthomus") flies into the area but does not reside there. Other bird species are: Zumbador Dorado (Anthracothorax dominicus), Zumbador Pechiazul (Eulampis holosericeus), Zorzal Pardo (Margarops fuscatus) and Jilguero (Euphonia musica).

There are 56 species identified of which six are endemic, 44 are resident, five are migratory and one is introduced. The following table lists a sampling of them.

No. Family Species Common Name (Spanish) Common Name (English) Status
1 Alcedinidae Ceryle alcyon martín pescador belted kingfisher Migratory
2 Anatidae Anas bahamensis pato quijada colorada white-cheeked pintail Resident
3 Anatidae Anas discors pato zarcel blue-winged teal Migratory
4 Ardeidae Ardea alba garza real great egret Resident
5 Ardeidae Ardea herodias garzón cenizo great blue heron Resident
6 Ardeidae Bubulcus ibis garza ganadera cattle egret Resident
7 Ardeidae Egretta caerulea garza azul little blue heron Resident
8 Ardeidae Egretta thula garza blanca snowy egret Resident
9 Ardeidae Egretta tricolor garza pechiblanca tricolored heron Resident
10 Ardeidae Nyctanassa violacea yaboa común yellow-crowned night heron Resident
11 Cathartidae Cathartes aura aura tiñosa turkey vulture Resident
12 Charadriidae Charadrius semipalmatus playero acollarado semipalmated plover Resident
13 Charadriidae Charadrius wilsonia playerito marítimo Wilson's plover Resident
14 Charadriidae Pluvialis squatarola playero cabezón grey plover Resident
15 Coerebidae Coereba flaveola reinita común bananaquit Resident
16 Columbidae Columbina passerina rolita common ground dove Resident
17 Columbidae Zenaida asiatica tórtola aliblanca white-winged dove Resident
18 Cuculidae Crotophaga ani judío smooth-billed ani Resident
19 Emberizidae Dendroica adelaidae reinita mariposera Adelaide's warbler Resident
20 Emberizidae Dendroica petechia canario de mangle American yellow warbler Resident
21 Emberizidae Dendroica tigrina reinita tigre Cape May warbler Migratory
22 Emberizidae Loxigilla portoricensis comeñame Puerto Rican bullfinch Endemic
23 Emberizidae Seiurus noveboracensis pizpita de mangle northern waterthrush Migratory
24 Emberizidae Tiaris bicolor gorrión negro black-faced grassquit Resident
25 Falconidae Buteo jamaicensis guaraguao red-tailed hawk Resident
26 Falconidae Falco peregrinus halcón peregrino peregrine falcon Migratory
27 Falconidae Falco sparverius falcón común American kestrel Resident
28 Fregatidae Fregata magnificens tijereta de mar magnificent frigatebird Resident
29 Icteridae Icterus dominicensis calandria Hispaniolan oriole Resident
30 Icteridae Icterus icterus turpial Venezuelan troupial Introduced
31 Icteridae Molothrus bonariensis tordo lustroso shiny cowbird Resident
32 Icteridae Quiscalus niger chango Greater Antillean grackle Resident
33 Laridae Larus atricilla gaviota gallega laughing gull Resident
34 Mimidae Mimus polyglottos ruiseñor northern mockingbird Resident
35 Muscicapidae Turdus plumbeus zorzal de patas coloradas red-legged thrush Resident
36 Pandionidae Pandion haliaetus águila de mar osprey Resident
37 Pelecanidae Pelecanus occidentalis pelicano pardo brown pelican Resident
38 Recurvirostridae Himantopus mexicanus viuda black-necked stilt Resident
39 Scolopacidae Actitis macularia playero coleador spotted sandpiper Resident
40 Scolopacidae Arenaria interpres playero Turco ruddy turnstone Resident
41 Scolopacidae Calidris himantopus playero patilargo stilt sandpiper Resident
42 Scolopacidae Calidris mauri playerito occidental western sandpiper Resident
43 Scolopacidae Calidris melanotos playero manchado pectoral sandpiper Migratory
44 Scolopacidae Calidris minutilla playero menudo least sandpiper Resident
45 Scolopacidae Calidris pusilla playerito gracioso semipalmated sandpiper Resident
46 Scolopacidae Catoptrophorus semipalmatus playero aliblanco willet Resident
47 Scolopacidae Limnodromus griseus chorlo pico corto short-billed dowitcher Resident
48 Scolopacidae Tringa flavipes playero guineilla menor lesser yellowlegs Resident
49 Scolopacidae Tringa solitaria playero solitario solitary sandpiper Resident
50 Thraupidae Spindalis portoricensis reina mora Puerto Rican spindalis Endemic
51 Todidae Todus mexicanus San Pedrito Puerto Rican tody Endemic
52 Tyrannidae Myiarchus antillarum juí de Puerto Rico Puerto Rican flycatcher Endemic
53 Tyrannidae Tyrannus dominicensis pitirre gray kingbird Endemic
54 Vireonidae Vireo latimeri bien te veo Puerto Rican vireo Endemic

Mammals

The following five species of mammals were found in Punta Cuchara.

No. Family Species Common Name (Spanish) Common Name (English) Status
1 Muridae Rattus rattus rata negra black rat Introduced
2 Muridae Rattus norvegicus rata de noruega brown rat Introduced
3 Muridae Mus musculus ratón house mouse Introduced
4 Viverridae Herpestes auropunctatus mangosta small Asian mongoose Introduced
5 Canidae Canis familiaris perro domestic dog Domestic

Reptiles

Punta Cucharas biodiversity includes reptiles such as Hemidactylus brookii, Sphaerodactylus macrolepis, Sphaerodactylus roosevelti, Anolis cristatellus, Anolis pulchellus, Ameiva exsul,and Anolis poncensis, and the amphibians Bufo marinus, Eleutherodactylus coqui and Leptodactylus albilabris. Of the reptile species, the lagartijo jardinero del sur (Anolis poncensis) is protected under the "vulnerable" classification by Rule 6766 of the "Regulations to Govern Vulnerable and Endangered Species in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico" pursuant to Puerto Rico Law 241, commonly known as "The Puerto Rico Wildlife Law." Following is a listing of reptiles found at the Reserve.

No. Family Species Common Name (Spanish) Common Name (English) Status
1 Gekkonidae Hemidactylus brooki haitianus salamanquesa Brooke's house gecko Native
2 Gekkonidae Sphaerodactylus macrolepis salamaquita de la Virgen Big-scaled least gecko Native
3 Gekkonidae Sphaerodactylus roosevelti salamaquita de la Virgen -- Endemic
4 Iguanidae Anolis cristatellus lagartijo común crested anole Native
5 Iguanidae Anolis pulchellus lagartijo jardinero Sharp-mouthed lizard Native
6 Iguanidae Anolis poncensis lagartijo jardinero del sur Ponce anole Endemic
(Vulnerable)
7 Teiidae Ameiva exsul siguana Puerto Rican ground lizard Native

Amphibians

No. Family Species Common Name (Spanish) Common Name (English) Status
1 Bufonidae Bufo marinus sapo común cane toad Introduced
2 Leptodactylidae Eleutherodactylus coqui coquí común common coquí Endemic
3 Leptodactylidae Leptodactylus albilabris ranita de labio blanco Hispaniolan ditch frog Native

Environmental challenges

Clean up

The June 2004 DRNA study warned that due to the lack of surveillance and the easy access that several roads provide to the area, it had become a common practice to use the area as a clandestine junk yard for motor vehicles and other refuse. The report suggested strategies for the management, cleaning, reforestation and conservation of the area. Several groups, including civic, environmental, and church groups, interested in the conservation of the Salinas Lagoon as part of the Punta Cucharas natural area have participated in cleaning campaigns for the removal of junk with the collaboration of the Municipality of Ponce. The DRNA also took steps to reforest the area. In 2013, some vandals used the area for dumping construction refuse, a practice that carries a fine of $5,000.

Legal efforts

As an additional vehicle to preserve the area, the government of Puerto Rico included Punta Cucharas as a natural reserve under the Natural Patrimony Program created by Act No. 150 of August 4, 1988, known as the "Puerto Rico Natural Patrimony Program Act."

Facilities improvements

In October 2012, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources published a 54-page environmental impact evaluation with numerous appendixes. In it, the DRNA proposed relocating the existing main vehicular entrance and building the necessary entryway and signing, making improvements to the existing road, building gazebos for group picnics and relaxation plus a gazebo for nature talks, construction a floating dock for kayaks, creation of an additional dock for ondock-fishing, erecting an observation tower and building a restaurant, a boat ramp, and bathroom facilities (compost toilets). The development area would cover 283 cuerdas (275 acres). As a low environmental impact construction project, the plans include no new water, sewer, or electrical lines being brought into the area. The cost was estimated at $1.2 million.

Gallery of flora and fauna

Flora at Punta Cucharas

Fauna at Punta Cucharas

Birds

Non-birds

Mammals
Reptiles
Amphibians
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