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| Guanica (main island) |
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Description:
This small town is the home of Guánica Dry Forest Reserve, largest remaining tract of tropical dry coastal forest in the world and an International Biosphere Reserve. The dry forest has 700 plant species of which 48 are endangered and 16 exist nowhere else. Its forest along the coast and on low-lying hills host the greatest number of bird species on the island. The Forest was declared an International Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO because of its biological diversity. No camping allowed. The Punta Ballena Reserve is next to the Guánica Forest and is included in the Biosphere Reserve because of its coastal ecosystem. It contains mangrove forest, manatees, nesting sites for Hawksbill turtles, and crested toads. | | | Details: |
Nearest commercial airport: San Juan |
Average watertemp: Min 25 - Max 30 oCelcius. |
Average visibility: 10 Horizontal metres |
Bottom composition: Sand, Corals, Rocks |
Dive conditions: Ocean/Sea, Salt water |
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Marinelife in the area: | Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | | Atlantic humpback dolphins | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The humpbacks will be travelling throughout the Caribbean, from South to North. The dolphins will be calving in April.
| | Bottlenose Dolphins | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The Bottlenose calve in April.
| | Bull sharks (Zambezi/Whaler) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Coastal fish & Reef Life | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | snake eel, coral eel.
| | Coral Spawning | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Full moon
| | Great Hammerhead sharks | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Green turtles | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Green Turtles lay their eggs in March & April.
| | Hawksbill turtles | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Humpback whales | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kemps Ridley turtles | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lemon sharks | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Loggerhead turtles | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Manatees | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Grassy sandy areas
| | Manta rays | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mostly in mangrove run-off areas.
| | Moray eels | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The chance of seeing Moray eels goes up to 90- 100% during NIGHT dives.
| | Nurse sharks | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Pelagic fish | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | King Mackerel, horseback mackerel and sardinella
| | Sardine Trek | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Skates | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mostly on shallow water dives.
| | Stingrays | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Found in sandy or grassy bottoms, night dives are the best to see these.
| | Whitetip reef sharks | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Probability of encounter: 0%, 0 > 60%, 60 > 90%, 90 > 100%
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