Darién National Park

The Darién National Park is a natural bridge spanning North and South America.{{cite web|title=Darien National Park|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/159|publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|accessdate=6 March 2013}} It is located in southernmost Panama in Darién province and its southern boundary extends along 90 percent of the Colombia–Panama border. It lies between the Serranía del Darién range, which parallels the Caribbean Sea {{Convert|16|km|mi|sp=us}} to the north-east, and the Pacific Ocean coast. It is adjacent to the Los Katíos National Park in Colombia.

In 1972, an area of {{convert|700000|ha|acre}} became part of the Alto Darién Protection Forest. In 1980, the area was declared a national park. In 1983, an area of {{convert|859333|ha|acre}} became a UNESCO biosphere reserve.[https://web.archive.org/web/20120616091903/http://www.unep-wcmc.org/medialibrary/2011/06/28/12093bac/Darien%20National%20Park.pdf World Conservation Monitoring Centre][https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/159 Official UNESCO website entry] The park covers {{convert|5790|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}.[http://botany.si.edu/projects/cpd/ma/ma20.htm Smithsonian Institution, Centre of Plant Distribution] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126045735/http://botany.si.edu/projects/cpd/ma/ma20.htm |date=2012-01-26 }}

The Darien National Park has myriad habitats, ranging from rocky coastlines to sandy beaches to mangroves. The park also has expansive swamps and large areas of tropical forests. It is rich in biodiversity and contains numerous threatened species. It has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.{{cite web |url= https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/dari%C3%A9n-national-park-iba-panama |title= Darién National Park|author= |date=2024|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 2024-09-22}}

The park is one of the few examples remaining in the world of a protected area inhabited by humans. Two native tribes dwell in the park.

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Due to its extreme isolation, the Darién National Park is not very accessible. There are, however, two places where the park is often visited. Santa Cruz de Cana (more simply known as Cana) is one of them. Set in the middle of the park near the eastern slope of Cerro Pirre, Cana is one of Panama's most incredible outdoor areas. It has been called{{by whom|date=October 2020}} one of the world's ten greatest bird watching spots. There are several trails and a ranger station there.{{Citation needed|reason=Reliable source needed for this whole paragraph|date=November 2013}}

The second point of access is Pirre Station. This is an ANAM ranger station set on the opposite side of Cerro Pirre. This area has primary forests and an abundance of wildlife, including several types of monkeys, sloths, and many bird species. There are several trails leading away from the ranger station that can be hiked. Travelers can stay in a basic dormitory at the ranger station.{{Citation needed|reason=Reliable source needed for this whole paragraph|date=November 2013}}

The park is notable for the Darién Gap, the only break in the Pan-American Highway on its intercontinental path from Argentina to Alaska.

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{{Commons category|Darién National Park}}

{{Darién Province}}

{{National parks of Panama}}

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Category:National parks of Panama

Category:Darién Province

Category:Biosphere reserves of Panama

Category:Important Bird Areas of Panama

Category:World Heritage Sites in Panama

Category:Chocó–Darién moist forests