Guiana Amazonian Park

Parc amazonien de Guyane
Guiana Amazonian Park
Maroni River
Nearest city	Maripasoula
Coordinates	2°50′18″N 53°46′20″W / 2.83833°N 53.77222°W / 2.83833; -53.77222
Area	20,300 km2 (7,838 sq mi)
Established	27 February 2007
Governing body	French Office for Biodiversity
Parc-Amazonien-Guyane.fr

Guiana Amazonian Park (

It cannot be accessed from the seashore or by any means other than airplane or pirogue via the Maroni and Oyapock rivers.

The protected area covers some 20,300 square kilometres (7,840 sq mi) for the central area (where full protection is enforced) and 13,600 square kilometres (5,250 sq mi) for the secondary area. Thus, the overall protected area represents some 33,900 square kilometres (13,090 sq mi) of

Like other Parcs nationaux de France, the park is overseen by the French Office for Biodiversity.

History

In the framework of the

The creation of the park was made effective by decree on February 28, 2007, despite the reluctance of several protagonists involved (

Within the 20,300 square kilometres (7,840 sq mi) central area, maximal protection is enforced and

In the park there are 90 species of amphibians, 133 reptiles, 520 birds and 182 mammals (including many species of bats) and more than 200 species of freshwater fish[8]

Mammals

New World Primates

The park includes several new world primates including the Guyanan red howler (Alouatta macconnelli), wedge-capped capuchin (Cebus olivaceus), tufted capuchin (Sapajus apella), white-faced saki (Pithecia pithecia), golden-handed tamarin (Saguinus midas), and red-faced spider monkey (Ateles paniscus).^[9]

• 
  Wedge-capped capuchin
• 
  white-faced saki
• 
  red faced spider monkey

Possums

Possum species include the bare-tailed woolly opossum (caluromys philander), Guianan white-eared opossum (didelphis imperfecta). common opossum (didelphis marsupialis), woolly mouse opossum (marmosa demerarae). Linnaeus's mouse opossum (marmosa murina), delicate slender opossum (marmosops parvidens), Pinheiro's slender opossum (marmosops pinheiroi), brown four-eyed opossum (metachirus nudicaudatus), Touan short-tailed opossum (monodelphis touan), Gray four-eyed opossum (philander opossum). The water opossum (chironectes minimus), bushy-tailed opossum (glironia cf. venusta), Kalinowski's mouse opossum (Hyladelphys kalinowskii), and Rufous mouse opossum (Marmosa lepida) have been found but are rare or have unknown numbers.^[9]

Cats and Canines

Many cat and canine species are found in the park including the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), margay (Leopardus wiedii), jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), and bush dog (Speothos venaticus).^[9]

• 
  Ocelot
• 
  Margay
• 
  jaguarund

Mustelids

Mustelids include the tayra (Eira barbara), greater grison (Galictis vittata), and neotropical river otter (Lontra longicaudis).^[9]

Procyonidae

Procyonidae include the South American coati (Nasua nasua), kinkajou (Potos flavus), and crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus).^[9]

• 
  South American coati
• 
  Kinkajou
• 
  Crab-eating racoon

Porcupines

Porcupines include the black-tailed hairy dwarf porcupine (Coendou melanurus) and Brazilian porcupine (Coendou prehensilis).^[9]

Armadillo

Armadillos include the greater long-nosed armadillo (Dasypus kappleri), nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcintus), giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus).^[9]

Anteater

Anteaters include the silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus), giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), and southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla)^[9]

• 
  Silky Anteater
• 
  Giant anteater
• 
  Southern tamandua

Bats

There are more than 100 species of bat in French Guyana.^[9] These bats play an important role in the dispersal of seeds especially in the dispersal of seeds in open areas.^[10] For example, the seeds plants including Cecropia, Solanum, and Vismia are often the first plants to grow in large open areas are readily dispersed by bats. Once the bat dispersed plants begin to grow, conditions improve for other seed dispersing animals such as birds and mammals who will then introduce the seeds of plants they transport into the area.^[10] While bats are vital to reforestation efforts, deforestation threatens bat species richness in the region. Forest corridors and forest blocks can effectively improve species richness.^[11]

Other Mammals

Other mammals in the park include collared peccary (Dicotyles tajacu), red brocket (Mazama americana), Amazonian brown brocket (Mazama nemorivaga), Guianan squirrel (Sciurus aestuans), Neotropical pygmy squirrel (Sciurillus pusillus), capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina), red acouchi (Myoprocta acouchy), lowland paca (Cuniculus paca), three-toed sloth (Bradypus tridactylus), two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus), and several species of rodents.^[9]

• 
  Red brocket
• 
  capybara
• 
  Three-toed sloth

Birds

There are more than 700 species of birds in French Guyana with more than 500 species located within the Park.^[8][12]

Flora

Tropical forest covers most of the territory of the Park where the number of vascular plants present is estimated at between 4,000 and 5,000 species (including more than 1,000 trees), or a tenth of the world's plant biodiversity.^[13] The tallest trees such as the Hura crepitans and Ceiba pentandra can reach 55 to 65 meters in height.^[14] A single hectare of forest frequently contains more different species of trees than the entire flora of Metropolitan France.^[13]

Tourism

Part of the National Parks of France, tourists can access the park. The park includes more than 130 km of trails with different levels of accessibility.^[15] Near the village of Saül there are 45 km of signposted trails designed for tourists. Five trails have been designed for visitors with reduced mobility as part of France's "Amazon for All" program.^[16] Other hiking and tourist opportunities exist including trails leading up to Mont Galbao, the inselberg Susu Bella, or Gobaya Soula falls.^[16][15]

References