In January 2005 Colombia’s first Marine Protected Area (MPA) was established to strengthened conservation of marine biodiversity and protection of key ecosystems in the marine are of the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve. The Seaflower Marine Protected Area is the largest in the Caribbean with 65,000 sq km of crystalline waters with coastal and marine ecosystems including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, beaches, and deep waters zoned for a variety of uses ranging from complete protection to controlled fishing.
There is one national park and three regional parks in the San Andres archipelago. A 995-hectare protected natural national park Parque Nacional Old Providence McBean Lagoon, a small cay in San Andres Bay and most visited tourist site Johnny Cay Natural Regional Park, the largest mangrove forest in San Andres Old Point Mangrove Regional Park and El Pico Natural Regional Park in Providencia with the archipelago’s highest point, known locally as the Peak.
Marine life
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
The warm, fertile Caribbean waters surrounding islands of San Andres Archipelago are rich in marine life. These crystal-clear waters are home to some spectaculars marine creatures such as Queen conch, Spiny lobster, Black crab, Long-spine sea urchins, sea turtles and numerous species of fish. More than 50 species of coral can be identified in the waters around San Andres archipelago, including Brain coral, Fire coral, Lace coral, black star coral and stony coral and at least 24 species of Sponge and Octacoral.
The 273 recorded fish species than can be found in San Andres waters include Spotted drum (Equetus punctatus), the endangered Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara), Indigo hamlet (Hypoplectrus indigo), Blue-headed wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum), Parrotfish (Labridae) and many more. Eels, octopus, dolphin, nurse shark and spotted eagle ray are also frequently spotted in the Archipelago waters.
Trees and Plants
Around 400 different plant species have been identified in the San Andres Archipelago. Indigenous beach vegetation includes sea grape, coconut palm, seaside mahoe and West Indian almond with shrubs such as bay cedar, beach bean, wild plantain, marigold and sea levander. Although sizeable areas of woodlands have been cleared as grazing land for cattle, native trees can still be found in inland areas. This vegetation constitutes an important breeding group for many invertebrates and provides an important habitat for turtles.
Reptiles, Amphibians and Mammals
Cnemidophorus lemniscatus
A wide variety of reptiles, insects and other invertebrates can be found on the islands, including iguana, lizards, caimans, snake (boa), gecko, salamander and frog. One of the archipelago’s two endemic swamp turtles (known locally as a swanka) is an endangered species. Bats are the only reported terrestrial mammal’s species. Four species of turtles nest in archipelago, loggerhead, hawksbill, green and leatherback. Beaches on the northern banks and southern atolls are especially important nesting habitats.
Birdwatching in San Andres
For a group of small coral outcrops, the San Andres Archipelago attracts large number of migratory species. Many of Colombia’s 150-plus hummingbird species can be found in the San Andres Archipelago along with large numbers of neo-tropical migrants such as gadwalls, willows, alders and flycatchers. Birders can also expect to spot yellow-throated vireos and Nashville, Tennessee and Canada warblers. Green-breasted mangos and ruby-throats are also found on the island along with the bananaquit, black-faced gressquit and an endemic species of black-whiskered vireo.
Black-whiskered Vireo
The San Andres vireo (Vireo Caribaeus) is the archipelago’s beloved endemic but endangered species, now restricted to an area of 17 square kilometres, where it is threatened by encroaching urbanisation, agriculture and coconut cultivation. The San Andres vireo favour inland mangrove swamps as habitat and feed on arthropods and caterpillars. Another endemic species under threat is the Rainbird or “old man bird”, a bird steeped in local legend. Due to the erosion of mangrove forests the species has now become limited to a few localities on the southern half of San Andres island and is currently facing extinction.