West Side National Park

{{Infobox protected area

| name = West Side National Park

| iucn_category =

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| photo =

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| map = Bahamas

| map_caption = The location of West Side National Park within the Bahamas

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| label = West Side National Park

| location = Andros, the Bahamas

| nearest_city = Nassau

| coordinates = {{coords|24.28|-77.95|region:BS|notes={{cite web|url=https://protectedplanet.net/555592585|title=Westside National Park in Bahamas|work=Protected Planet|accessdate=2 January 2019}}|display=inline, title}}

| area = {{convert|1500000|acre|km2|0}}

| established = 2002

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| governing_body = Bahamas National Trust

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| url = https://bnt.bs/explore/andros/west-side-national-park/

}}

West Side National Park is a national park covering the western half of Andros, the Bahamas, and the surrounding waters. The park was established in 2002 and, after being expanded in 2012,{{cite news|url=http://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/2012/05/andros-westside-national-park-to-be-expanded-21689.html|title=Andros Westside National Park To Be Expanded|work=BahamasB2B|date=14 May 2012|accessdate=2 January 2019}} has an area of {{convert|1500000|acre|km2|0}},{{cite web|url=https://bnt.bs/west-side-national-park/|title=West Side National Park|work=The Bahamas National Trust|accessdate=2 January 2019}} being one of the largest protected areas in the region.{{cite web|url=https://www.iucn.org/content/andros-west-side-national-park-home-national-bird-bahamas|title=The Andros West Side National Park, home of the national bird of the Bahamas|work=IUCN|accessdate=2 January 2019}} The park is regarded as a marine protected area, which includes tidal creeks and coastal mangrove forest, as well as an expansive coastal zone.{{cite web|url=http://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/E0/02/02/41/00001/liebowitz_d.pdf|title=Assessing Stakeholder Support and Preferences for Marine Protected Area Management on Andros Island, Bahamas|work=University of Florida|page=25|first=Dina|last=Liebowitz|year=2007|accessdate=2 January 2019}}

Flora and fauna

Inland, the park contains areas of Caribbean pine, which provide habitat for atala butterflies. The mangrove areas include red, white and black mangroves, and buttonwood. The park provides an important feeding area for the West Indian flamingo.{{cite news|url=https://coastalanglermag.com/one-new-national-park-and-the-expansion-of-two-existing-parks-announced-by-minister-of-the-environment/|title=One new national park and the expansion of two existing parks announced by Minister of the Environment|work=Coastal Angler Magazine|date=31 March 2012|accessdate=2 January 2019}} The Andros rock iguana is found on land, along with the Bahamian boa constrictor, Cuban twig anole, Bahama brown anole, Bahama green anole, blue-tail lizard, curly-tailed lizard, and Cuban tree frog. Hawksbill and green sea turtles are found throughout the park, and loggerhead turtles inhabit the northern part of the park. Conch, lobster, bonefish, Atlantic tarpon, the nurse shark, the bull shark and the smalltooth sawfish are found in the coastal waters.

References

Category:National parks of the Bahamas

Category:Andros, Bahamas