Sierra Pandura, also known as ''Cuchilla de Pandura'' (Pandura Ridge) and ''La Pica'', is a mountain range that runs from 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 northwest to the

Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...

in the southeast in southeastern

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 ...

, between the municipalities of Maunabo and

Yabucoa Yabucoa () is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern region, north of Maunabo; south of San Lorenzo, Las Piedras and Humacao; and east of Patillas. Yabucoa is spread over 9 barrios and Yabucoa Pueblo (the downtown area ...

. Together with the

Sierra de Guardarraya Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following: Places Mountains and mountain ranges * Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico * Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...

to the south, Sierra Pandura is part of the San Lorinzo batholith physiological region, a composite body of volcanic origin which bifurcates the mountain ridge. Sierra Pandura rises to an elevation of above sea level at Cerro Santa Elena, located in the ''

barrio ''Barrio'' () is a Spanish language, Spanish word that means "Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter" or "neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city, usually delimited by functional (e.g. residenti ...

Juan Martín Juan Cristóbal Martín (born 1948) is a Spanish flamenco guitaristwww.flamencovision.com
- Juan M ...

. Other peaks in the mountain range include Cerro de la Pandura, located near the sector of ''La Pica'' with an elevation of above sea level, and ''El Sombrerito'' ( Spanish for "the little hat") with in elevation.

Sierra Pandura Protected Natural Area

The western portion of Sierra Pandura is protected by the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust as the Sierra Pandura Protected Natural Area (Spanish: ''Área natural protegida de Sierra Pandura''). This protected natural area is one of the last habitats of the rare, endemic and endangered Puerto Rican rock frog ('' Eleutherodactylus cooki'') also known as the rock coqui or the ''coquí guajón'' in Spanish. This small species of frog dwells primarily in crevices and grottos (habitats which are locally known as ''guajonales'') of the Sierra Pandura. The

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

published a recovery plan for the species that designates a critical habitat of approximately within some surrounding areas on September 24, 2004, the. Due to the limited distribution of the species, specialized habitat uses and the many threats; the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico intends to permanently protect ''guajón'' habitats and the corridors found between existing populations. The three areas comprising a total of of the Sierra Pandura National Protected Area are the first land purchases of private land that focus on the protection of the rock coqui's natural habitat.

References

{{Protected areas of Puerto Rico Mountain ranges of Puerto Rico Protected areas of Puerto Rico Maunabo, Puerto Rico Yabucoa, Puerto Rico

Sierra Pandura Protected Natural Area

See also

References