The Planadas-Yeyesa Nature Reserve (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

: ''Reserva natural Planadas-Yeyesa'') is a protected nature reserve located in the

Sierra de Cayey Sierra de Cayey is a mountain range in the main island of Puerto Rico. It is located in the southeast section of the island. Its elevations do not exceed 1000 m (3,280 ft.). The Grande de Loíza, which is one of the most important rivers in Puer ...

, in the municipality of Salinas in central

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 reserve is located close to the famous

Cerro Las Tetas Cerro Las Tetas, nicknamed Las Tetas de Cayey but officially Las Piedras del Collado, are two mountain peaks located in the municipality of Salinas, Puerto Rico, north of the city of Salinas proper. Since September 1, 2000, the peaks have become ...

(officially ''Piedras del Collado''). Two of the most prominent features of the reserve are

Cerro Planada Cerro Planada is a mountain peak located in Cayey, Puerto Rico. The mountain has an elevation of 2,480 feet (755 m), making it the 10th highest peak of the Sierra de Cayey. Cerro Planada is located in the boundary between the '' barrios'' (distr ...

, a 2,480 feet (755 m) high mountain peak, and La Yeyesa, a heavily forested

canyon A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosion, erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tenden ...

formed by the Lapa River and other streams which feed into the Nigua River. La Yeyesa can be accessed through a lightly trafficked yet moderate trail. The reserve is home to 198 species of trees and to 11 of the 17 endemic bird species found in Puerto Rico. The forest area is also home to the endangered Puerto Rican boa. In addition to its biodiversity, the reserve is home to several caves, such as El Ceto and La Iglesia Caves, which are home to indigenous

Taíno The Taíno were a historic Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, indigenous people of the Caribbean whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the ...

petroglyphs.

References

{{coord, 18.085, -66.218, type:landmark_region:PR_dim:5000, display=title Protected areas of Puerto Rico Cayey, Puerto Rico Salinas, Puerto Rico

See also

References