The Río San Juan wildlife refuge is located in the extreme southeast of Nicaragua in the municipalities of El Castillo, Río San Juan, integrated into the Río San Juan biosphere reserve, declared by Presidential Decree 66-99 in 1999 and recognized by UNESCO in 2003. It has an area of 43,518 hectares.
The vegetation is characteristic of the tropical humid and very humid forest ecosystem, it presents vegetal formations Seasonally flooded high forest, species of palm, the presence of orchids, bromeliads, ferns and araceae such as the anthurium.
It presents a diversity of fauna, represented by aquatic and marine birds of the Caribbean, abounding the flocks of migratory species, among them plovers, runners and boobies; as well as the herons, among them the most picturesque is the sun heron, gulls, fregatas, pelicans, kingfishers, macaws, hummingbirds, parrots and thongs. Also, it is possible to find mammals such as deer, sloths, wild boars, pumas, jaguars, pacas, foxes and even manatees, howler monkeys, white faced monkeys and spider monkeys.
San Juan del Norte, has great natural attractions and interesting historical sites. Its roads are the rivers and streams of the area, which give way to the jungle and multiple small lagoons. Its urban center is the small town of San Juan del Norte, or San Juan de Nicaragua, where different ethnic communities coexist. There are hotels, restaurants and tour guides. Nearby are the ruins of old Greytown, the Caribbean mouth of the San Juan River, and the lush Indio - Maíz biosphere reserve.
Activities
- Artisanal and sport fishing.
- Observation of flora and fauna.
- Boat or motorboat tours over the Bartola rivers and the town of San Juan del Norte, through the Manatee Lagoon.
