Calilegua National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Calilegua) is a
federally protected area in
Jujuy Province
Jujuy is a province of Argentina, located in the extreme northwest of the country, at the borders with Chile and Bolivia. The only neighboring Argentine province is Salta to the east and south.
Geography
There are three main areas in Jujuy:
* ...
, Argentina.It was established on July 19, 1979, and houses a representative sample of the
Southern Andean Yungas
The Southern Andean Yungas is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Yungas of southwestern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina.
Geography
The ecoregion occurs along the eastern slope of the Andes from southern Bolivia ...
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
in good state of conservation.
Located at the
Ledesma Department
Ledesma is a department of the province of Jujuy (Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making i ...
on the eastern slopes of the Calilegua hills, with an area of . It is the largest national park in the
Argentine Northwest
The Argentine Northwest (''Noroeste Argentino'') is a geographic and historical region of Argentina composed of the provinces of Catamarca, Jujuy, La Rioja, Salta, Santiago del Estero and Tucumán.
Geography
The Argentine Northwest comprises v ...
.
History
Historically, this area was occupied by native groups whose settlements were located in the lower knoll, near farming grasslands. The archeological pieces and sites found in the park, such as pieces of pottery and polished stone axes, are related to the communities that inhabited the Yungas region. From the 15th century onward, the Incas occupied this territory. This region is currently inhabited by Kolla communities.
The landscape of the park can be seen when transiting the Provincial Route 83 that runs through it. There are three landscapes along the route: the jungle foothills, the mountain forest, and the mountain woods, each with its characteristic vegetation.
About 270 species were identified in the area, and it is estimated that 230 more could inhabit the area, which makes Calilegua the home of 50% of all bird species in the country. The park is home to the jaguar, the largest South American predator, along with other cats like the jaguarundi, the ocelot, the puma, and the pampas cat. The largest mammal in the Yungas, the tapir, also inhabits the reserve.
Calilegua National Park and nearby towns offer tours related to ecotourism and active tourism, but the area also offers a strong cultural imprint. Tourists interested may visit several towns where they can experience local contact.
Climate
The park has a
subtropical climate
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° north and ...
with a dry winter season.
Mean temperatures fluctuate between in winter to in summer.
[ Summers are hot with temperatures reaching up to .][ In contrast, occasional frosts can occur at the high altitudes.][ The park receives of precipitation per year with most of it falling between November to April.][ During these months, rainfall is often intense.][
]
See also
* Baritú National Park
The Baritú National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Baritú) is a national park in Argentina, located in Santa Victoria Department, in the north of Salta Province, in the Argentine Northwest. The park borders Bolivia (Tarija Department), and its onl ...
References
External links
Administración de Parques Nacionales
(Argentine National Parks Administration, in Spanish and English)
{{authority control
National parks of Argentina
Protected areas of Jujuy Province
Protected areas established in 1979
Southern Andean Yungas