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National Parks And Nature Reserves In Jamaica

Jamaica's natural beauty is one of the island nation's outstanding features. Fortunately, for the people of Jamaica and the world, the nation has seen to it that a great deal of the natural flora and fauna has been preserved and protected, devoting a great deal of land to parks and preservation. There are even areas that still remain pristine and wild, untouched by the tourism industry or local development.

Blue Mountains National Park is among the most well known of the national parks and reserves. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the country is to be found within this almost 200,000-acre area. More than one-third of the plants that bear flowers in contained in this mountain range, whose peak rises to 7,402 feet, and its near by neighbor, the John Crow Mountains, are unique to Jamaica, found no other place on earth. The forests here are home to 28 species of birds and serve as a migration stop for more than 150 other types of birds. The park contains the largest remaining rainforest in all of Jamaica. Naturally, hiking and camping are the favored activities here.

Falmouth, Jamaica, is home to Swaby's Swamp Safari. A four-acre mangrove swamp, reserve offers guided tours to view the wetlands wildlife. Among the sights to be seen several types of crocodiles native to Jamaica. Cashoo Ostrich Park is a nature reserve and working farm. There are hundreds of ostriches, hiking paths and fruit orchards. The ostriches are a big hit with children and adults alike, and the experience of seeing these large and magnificent creatures at close range is unforgettable.

Montego Bay Marine Park is another well known nature reserve. Visitors will find sharks, several species of stingrays, moray eels, and numerous other types of fish. There are coral reef formations and dense areas of mangrove trees, which serve as home to a wide variety of wildlife. Excellent scuba diving and snorkeling draw many visitors to this park and reserve.

The Royal Palm reserve is set in the Great Morass swamplands. There is an abundance of wildlife living in the Great Morass's 7,000-acres of wetlands. Among these diverse creatures are numerous crocodiles, and a wide range of birds, including herons and egrets, living amongst the mangroves. Also located in the Great Morass is the Negril Watershed Environmental Protection Area, dedicated to tropical preservation and protection.

Marshall's Pen was a plantation in the 1800's. Today it is a bird sanctuary that welcomes visitors both for group tours and the average day tour. Many of the birds native to Jamaica can be seen here, as well as visitors from migrating flocks.

While most of Jamaica's travel destination fame has to do with the more traditional joys of sun, sand and surf, as well as the fabulous luxury resorts and hotels, there are amazingly natural and beautiful places on the island. Parks and reserves are numerous, as are opportunities to see the natural flora and fauna at its best and most undisturbed.

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