The Rosario Islands (Islas del Rosario), also referred to as Corales Islas del Rosario (Coral Islands of Rosario),
is an
archipelago
An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands.
Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Arc ...
located off the coast of
Colombia, approximately from
Cartagena.
It is one of the 46 Natural National Parks of Colombia. The
national park was founded in 1988,
to protect one of the most important
coral reef
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.
C ...
s of the
Colombian Caribbean coast. People can visit the national park area of the islands, and tours are available.
Isla Rosario has an
aquarium and open-sea
oceanarium
An oceanarium can be either a marine mammal park, such as Marineland of Canada, or a large-scale aquarium, such as the Lisbon Oceanarium, presenting an ocean habitat with marine animals, especially large ocean dwellers such as sharks.
First ma ...
(''oceanario'') that people can visit.
Activities include swimming, snorkeling
and fishing, among others.
Geography and geology
The park has an area of , from the line of the highest tide to the beryl of the of depth, it extends from the underwater platform and the coral reefs west from the Island of Baru, the reefs of the archipelagos of Nuestra Señora del Rosario and
San Bernardo and the underwater platform in between, as well as the Tesoro, Rosario, Mucura, and
Maravilla islands.
Characteristics
This area was declared a Natural National Park due to the necessity to preserve and protect the coral reefs and the associated
ecosystem
An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...
s, such as the
sea grass
Seagrasses are the only flowering plants which grow in marine (ocean), marine environments. There are about 60 species of fully marine seagrasses which belong to four Family (biology), families (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae an ...
and
mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in severa ...
s, and the numerous species of seaweed and animals that inhabit them.
Coral reef formation is "...enhanced on the windward side of the islands" due to wave action and water qualities that encourage coral growth.
The islands have become popular tourist destinations for day tours as well as hotels and lodges on a few of the islands.
History
In 1885, the area was described as "extremely dangerous to approach" by boat.
The
Colombian drug lord and
narcoterrorist,
Pablo Escobar, owned a huge Caribbean getaway on Isla Grande. The compound, now half-demolished and overtaken by vegetation and wild animals, featured a mansion, apartments, courtyards, a large swimming pool, a helicopter landing pad, reinforced windows, tiled floors, and a large but unfinished building to the side of the mansion.
See also
*
Caribbean region of Colombia
The Caribbean region of Colombia or Caribbean coast region is in the north of Colombia and is mainly composed of 8 departments located contiguous to the Caribbean.[Insular region of Colombia
The insular region of Colombia includes the oceanic islands outside the continental territory. In the Caribbean this includes the San Andrés and Providencia islands near Central America and the many coastal islands along mainland Colombia. I ...]
*
List of islands of South America
The following are lists of the islands of South America by country.
Argentina
Atlantic Ocean islands
*'' Isla Apipé''
*'' Isla Bermejo''
*''Isla de los Estados''
*'' Isla de San Martín''
*'' Isla del Cerrito''
*'' Isla Martín García''
*'' ...
References
{{Authority control
National parks of Colombia
Geography of Bolívar Department
Caribbean islands of Colombia
Underwater diving sites in the Caribbean
Underwater diving sites in Colombia