Rio Plátano
General information
Rio Platano biosphere Reserve, designated in 1980, the Rio Platano corresponds to tropical moist forest and tropical wetforest, including important coastal marine areas and a variety of habitats rich in biodiversity.
Detailed information
Key data
Year of nomination
1980
Country
Honduras
Total population
70000
Area
Surface
832,280.00 ha
Total terresterial area
832,280.00 ha
Location
Latitiude: 15.48 - Longitude: -84.86
Ecological Characteristics
In wide terms based on Holdridge’s classification, the Reservecorresponds to tropical moist forest and tropical wetforest, including important coastal marine areas and a variety of habitats rich in biodiversity, as well as expanses of Mangrove, associations of Pine and Tique forests, savannahs, wetlands, lagoons, coral reefs and cays.However, most of Rio Platano is covered by rainforests, harbouring the Reserve’s greatest biodiversity.The forests includetrees such as Mahogany, Laurel, Carapa and Teocote Pine (Pinus teocote). Five hundred and eighty-six species of plants have been identified, of which 23 are reported as new on the records of Honduran flora.Additionally, the reserve harbours 130 species of mammals, 36% of the reptile species, 57 % of the bird species and 70% of the fish species found in Honduras.It also hosts cultural diversity with the ethnic Garifuna, Misquito, Tawahka and Pech groups living in the Reserve.Annual rainfall ranges between 2,000 and 4,000 mm, the average annual temperature is 20-26º C.Natural landscapes fall into three broad categories: coastal plains, high mountain lands and inlandmountains. Eco-regions located in the biosphere reserve: Wetland eco-region with a great variety of systems such as mangroves, lagoons, fresh water and saline marshland, seasonal creeks, swampy woodland and the coastal strip.Pine savannah ecoregion: Atlantic Broad-leaved forest ecoregion. Highland Pine forest ecoregion. Maritime Zone ecoregion.
Socio-Economics Characteristics
The main activities are agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, hunting, extraction of building materials, forestry use, gathering of fruit and ornamental plants, gold prospecting and planning.