Morrillito is a small uninhabited

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

off the southern coast of

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

. The island is protected by the ''Reserva Natural Caja de Muertos''

natural reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...

because of its native

turtle Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...

traffic. Together with

Caja de Muertos Caja de Muertos (; also in English: ''Coffin Island'') is an uninhabited island off the southern coast of Puerto Rico, in the municipality of Ponce. The island and its surrounding waters are protected by the Caja de Muertos Nature Reserve, beca ...

, Gatas, Ratones, Cardona,

Isla del Frio Isla or ISLA may refer to: Organizations * International Securities Lending Association, a trade association * International School of Los Angeles * International Bilingual School, later named International School of Los Angeles People * Isla (g ...

, and

Isla de Jueyes Isla de Jueyes are a group of three small uninhabited islands off the southern coast of Puerto Rico. Together with Caja de Muertos, Gatas, Morrillito, Ratones, Cardona, and Isla del Frío, Isla de Jueyes is one of seven islands ascribed to ...

, Morrillito is one of seven islands ascribed to the municipality of Ponce.

Location

The island, sometimes erroneously termed a key (or,

cay A cay ( ), also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great ...

), is located 5.2 mi (8.4 km) south of the Puerto Rican mainland and is part of Barrio Playa

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

of the Ponce, Puerto Rico,

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

. It is located 590 feet (180 meters) off the southwest point of

island and has an area of just 0.015 square miles (0.04 km²). The island is connected to Caja de Muertos by a bank of shallow waters about 18.0 feet (5.49 meters) deep. It is located at latitude 17.88417 and longitude -66.53361. Its length is 0.31 miles (0.5 kilometers) northeast and southwest.

Geography and climate

The island is a small 31-foot flat-topped island located 200 yards off the southwestern tip of

and, when viewed from a distance, Morrillito can easily be mistaken for the 170-ft steep hill (called Cerro Morrillo, ''Morrillo Hill'') at the extreme southwestern portion of Caja de Muertos proper. The climate is dry and the island supports a

dry forest Dry or dryness most often refers to: * Lack of rainfall, which may refer to **Arid regions **Drought * Dry or dry area, relating to legal prohibition of selling, serving, or imbibing alcoholic beverages * Dry humor, deadpan * Dryness (medical) ...

Natural reserve

Together with

(0.59 square miles) (1.54 km²) and Berberia Key (0.12 square miles) (0.30 km²), Morrillito makes up the ''Caja de Muertos Natural Reserve''. The island was designated as a nature reserve in 1980 after a meeting was held in Puerto Rico by the Puerto Rico Planning Board wherein they considered the recommendation set forth by the Coastal Management Zone Program to turn the island into a protected wilderness area. The island has remained a protected area ever since. The protection is mainly due to its heavy

Hawksbill sea turtle The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is largel ...

traffic which is an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

.''Isla Caja de Muerto Natural Reserve ''.
Encyclopedia Puerto Rico. Retrieved 26 April 2011.

References

External links

* See an aerial photo of flat-surfaced Morrillito (taken looking north
HERE
Source: ''"¡Una obra magistral Puerto Rico 365!"'' La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. (Title in printed edition: "Plasma en Puerto Rico 365° las joyas del archipiélago: la publicación ofrece 224 páginas de expectaculares fotografías." Year 32. Number 1518. Page 20.) Both versions published 2 January 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
Natural Reserve, official page

Morrillito at Panoramio
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Morrillito Uninhabited islands of Puerto Rico Protected areas of Puerto Rico Islands of Ponce, Puerto Rico

Location

Geography and climate

Natural reserve

See also

References

External links