Location: 1.2 mi (2 km) West of Jobero
Area: 32,557 ha
The Cerro Hoya or Tres Cerros National Park is located at the
southwestern end of the Azuero peninsula, on the shores of the
Panamanian Pacific in the Sierra de Azuero, shared between the
province of Los Santos (La Tronosa, Guánico, El Cortezo and
Cambutal), and the Mariato district (Arenas and El Cacao).
The protected area comprises a coastal strip that goes from
the mouth of the Ventana River to the mouth of the Restingue
River, including the Restingue Islands and the continental shelf
that surrounds them in its keys, mangroves, coral reefs, islets
and coastal cliffs.
In the highest parts the low montane
rain forest develops and as you descend the low montane very
humid forests, the premontane rain forests, the premontane very
humid forests and already, in the coastal areas, the tropical
humid forests are located.
It has more than 30 species of
endemic plants. The most common forest species in the protected
area are mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), el espavé
(Anarchadium excelsum), el guayacan (Tabebuia guayacan), el
cuipo (Cavanillesia platanifolia), el roble (Tabebuia rosea), el
cedro espino (Bombacopsis quinatum), la ceiba (Ceiba Pentandra)
and el barrigón (Pseudobombax septenatum).
More than 95
bird species have been counted, including the endangered red
macaw (Ara macao), the painted parakeet (Pyrrhura picta) from
the southern region of Azuero, the huge king hen (Sarcoramphus
papa), the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) and the mangrove hawk
(Buteogallus subtilis).
Among the mammals, along with
important populations of white-tailed deer (Odoicoleus
virginianus), ñeques (Dasyprocta punctata) and painted rabbits
(Agouti paca), there is also the jaguar (Phantera onca) and the
manigordo (Felis paradalis). Its most common species of fauna
are: The parakeet, the white-tailed deer and fat mani.
Hoya is located to the southwest of the Azuero peninsula, mostly in the district of Mariato in the province of Veraguas (86 percent of the park) and a smaller part in the district of Tonosí in the province of Los Santos (14 percent of the park). Its coordinates are 7°17'0"N 80°42'0"W. Its surface extends through the municipalities of Arenas and El Cacao in the district of Mariato, province of Veraguas; and the municipalities of La Tronoza, Cambutal, Guánico and El Cortezo in the district of Tonosí, province of Los Santos.
The Cerro Hoya Peak, with 1,559 meters, is the highest point of the entire Azuero Peninsula, which is accompanied by its neighboring peaks of 1,534 meters and 1,478 meters respectively. The park is of volcanic origin and is formed by the oldest rocks of the Isthmus dating from the Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene. During this period, the island chain was formed, which currently corresponds to the peninsulas of Nicoya and Osa in Costa Rica and the Azuero peninsula in Panama. The oldest rocks of Panama known so far are located at the southwestern tip of the Azuero Peninsula. The mountains of the Park are part of a larger mountain complex known as the Azuero Massif. This sector of the park is steep at all points. A large part of the area located within the perimeter of the park (approximately 80% of the area) is located above 300 m a.s.l. The three highest mountains of the Azuero massif (Hoya, Moya and Soya hills), with heights of 1559, 1534 and 1478 m a.s.l. respectively, constitute its geographical heart. The lowlands of hills, undulations and plains or plains are mainly sedimentary basins, parts of which have been covered by large quaternary deposits, such as alluvial deposits of the lower valleys of the Tonosí, Guánico, Pavón, Playita and Varadero rivers. The south of the Park is characterized by the presence of a coastal area of great irregularity and the absence of coastal plains. The relief near the coast is of hills and moderately rugged undulations.
Cerro Hoya has a volcanic origin. The oldest rocks of the
Isthmus of Panama have been found there. Created by Decree No.
74 of October 2, 1984.
10 rivers are born in the
reserve, including the Tonosí, Guánico, Portobelo, Quebro, El
Pavo and La Playita basins.
The climate of the park and its neighborhood area is located within the humid tropical climatic region. The weather varies a lot from the coast to the peaks. While on the coast the average temperatures oscillate around 26 °C and the precipitation is around 2,000 mm per year, on the peaks they are 20 °C and 4,000 mm.
More than ten important watersheds for agricultural activities in the region are born in the Park. The most notable rivers of the region are born in it, such as the Tonosí, the Guánico, the Cobachón, the Punta Blanca, the Sierra, the Varadero and the Pavo. These waterways have spectacular waterfalls and pools of transparent water.
The most common tree species found in the protected area are:
mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), espave (Anarchadium excelsum),
Panama tree (Sterculia apetala), guayacan (Tabebuia guayacan),
cuipo (Cavanillesia platanifolia), oak (Tabebuia rosea),
hawthorn cedar (Pachira quinata), ceiba (Ceiba pentandra) and
potbelly (Pseudobombax septenatum ). A new record for the flora
of Panama is the presence of Quercus sp., known in the area as
Monterillo. Other plants found in the area are: orchids, ferns
and mosses, among others. In the areas where the forest has been
affected by livestock activities the dominant grass genus is
Trachypogon sp., highlighting the faragua (Hyparrhenia rufa).
The endemic species identified in the park are: Ceiba rosea
(Bombacaceae), Protium panamense (Burseraceae), Protium
inconforme (Burseraceae), Clusia ef. logipetiolata (Guttiferae),
Souroubea venosa (Maregraviaceae), Passiflora williamsii
(Passifloraceae).
Among the common fauna species in the area are: big kingfisher (Ceryle torquata), Amazonian kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona), red macaw (Ara macao), the painted parakeet (Pyrrhura picta) of the southern region of Azuero, the huge king hen (Sarcoramphus papa), the osprey (Pandion haliaetus), great tailed godwit (Chiroxiphia lanceolata), big tinamou ( Tinamus major), big peacock (Crax rubra) and the mangrove crab-eating sparrowhawk (Buteogallus subtilis).
Among the mammals are the following: roe deer (Mazama
americana), ñeques (Dasyprocta punctata), howler monkey
(Allouatta palliata), painted rabbits (Cuniculus paca), jaguar
(Panthera onca) and manigordo (Leopardus pardalis).
The
sighting of the spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuatta) has been
reported in Restingue, near the coast. In the Restingue sector,
the existence of coral reefs is recognized, although little
developed.
Among other species identified in the area we
have the tigrillo (Felis wiedii), ocelot (Felis pardalis), solo
cat (Nasua narica), black cat (Eira barbara), shell cat (Procyon
concrivorus), deer deer (Mazama americana), painted rabbit
(Agouti paca), ñeque (Dasyprocta punctata), mountain pig
(Tayassu pecari), zaino (Tayassu tajacu), howler monkey
(Alouatta palliata), white-faced monkey (Cebus capuchinus), red
monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), etc.
The manigordo (Felis pardalis) and the puma or American lion (Felis concolor) are species that inhabit remote forests and that no longer exist in other parts of the country. Of the group of felines, the Felis jaguarundi species is the one that best tolerates disturbed habitats.
Panama has superiority with three species that are only found in
the Isthmus, among which we can mention the Azuero spider monkey
(charao monkey) and the Coiba and Azuero howler monkey (kun-kun
monkey). The charao monkey or also known in the field of
primatology as Azuero spider monkey, was discovered and
described as a species by the French scientist Bole in 1937, who
baptized it with its scientific name Ateles azuerensis.
However, it was later relocated as a subspecies and recognized
as Ateles geoffroyi azuerensis by scientists Kellogg and Goldman
in 1944. Currently, its presence is reduced to the remaining
forest in the Cerro Hoya National Park, the La Tronosa Forest
Reserve, and some forest patches that are located in the La Miel
area in Las Tablas, Los Santos province.
Represented by two orders. The families identified were: Bufonidae, Centrolenidae, Dendrobatidae, Hylidae and Leptodactylidae. The genera, number of species and quantities for each family respectively are: Bufo sp., Hyalinobatrachium sp., Dendrobates sp. and Colostethus sp., Agalychnis sp., Hyla sp. and Smilisca sp., Eleutherodactylus sp., Leptodactylus sp. and Physalaemus sp.. There are 10 genera and 16 species in total.
In the class of reptiles for the order Squamata, suborder sauria, the presence of members of the families was found: Corytophanidae, Iguanidae, Polychrotidae, Scincidae and Teiidae. The species and quantities for each one are respectively: Basiliscus basiliscus and Corytophanes cristatus, Ctenosaura similis and Iguana iguana, Norops (Anolis) capito, Mabuya unimarginata, Ameiva ameiva and Ameiva undulata. In total there are 7 genera with eight species. The representatives found for Squamata, Serpents, involve the families: Boidae, Colubridae, Elapidae and Viperidae. The genera, species and quantities are respectively: Boa constrictor and Epicrates cenchria, Chironius grandisquamis, Clelia clelia, Drymobius margaritiferus, Imantodes cenchoa, Leptodeira annulata, Leptophis ahaetulla, Oxybelis aeneus, Oxybelis fulgidus, Pseudoboa neuwiedii, Rhinobothryum bovallii, Sibon nebulatus and Xenodon rhabdocephalus, Micrurus nigrocintus and Pelamis platurus, Bothrops asper and Porthidium Iansbergii. In total there are 17 genera with 18 species, of which 4 are venomous.
The park is home to 151 species of birds, of which seven are migratory and thirteen are protected by the International Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), among which is the red macaw (Ara macao). In addition, it has endemic species, such as the parakeet (Pyrrhura picta eisenmanni). Other species that we can find in the park are: Spectacled owl (Pulsatrix perspecillata), titibú or white-tailed pigeon (Leptotila verreauxi), three-booger bellbird or mountain chapin (Procnias tricarunculata), red-headed parrot or banana-bellied parrot (Pionopsitta haematosis), green kingfisher or gannet (Chloroceryle americana), royal peacock (Crax rubra), hummingbird alasable violet or visit flower (Campylopterus hemyleucurus), brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolinesis).
44 species of fish and 27 of crustaceans have been reported.