Fogo Natural Park

Fogo Natural Park
Welcome sign into the Natural Park
Coordinates14°57′N 24°22′W / 14.95°N 24.36°W / 14.95; -24.36
Area84.69 km2 (32.70 sq mi)

Fogo Natural Park (Portuguese: Parque Natural do Fogo) is a protected area located on Fogo Island in Cape Verde, an archipelago nation in the central Atlantic Ocean. Established in 2003, the park encompasses an area of 84.69 km2 (32.70 sq mi), representing 17.8% of the island's total landmass. It is geographically distributed across three municipalities in the region. The park incorporates the active stratovolcano of Pico do Fogo and the Monte Velha forests.

Geography

Fogo is a protected area located on Fogo Island in Cape Verde, an island nation in the central Atlantic Ocean.[1] The park was officially established on 24 February 2003, and is one of Cape Verde's ten natural parks.[2] The protected area stretches for 84.69 km2 (32.70 sq mi), accounting for 17.8% of the total area of the island.[3][4] About 50% of the park lies within the municipality Santa Catarina do Fogo, 28% in municipality of Mosteiros and 22% in São Filipe.[1] The natural park is situated in the interior of the island, and the major feature of the topography is the active stratovolcano of Pico do Fogo. It is the highest point in Cape Verde, rising to 2,829 m (9,281 ft) above sea level.[5] The park covers the volcano, its crater, crater rim and the forests of Monte Velha. Fogo has encountered regular volcanic activity, with significant eruptions five times over the last five centuries. The most recent eruption was in 2014-15, which caused significant changes to the island.[6][7] The caldera of the volcano is approximately 9 km (5.6 mi) wide and has a gash in its eastern rim, allowing lava flows to reach the coast during eruptions.[6]

Flora and fauna

Fogo national park and the surrounding oceans covering an area of 2,473 km2 (955 sq mi), is an Important Bird Area. Major bird species found including Fea's petrel, Boyd's shearwater and Cape Verde swift.[8][9] The endemic plants Echium vulcanorum (endangered)[10] and Erysimum caboverdeanum (critically endangered)[11] are only found on the outer crater rim of the volcano of Fogo.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Parques Naturais" (PDF). Áreas protegidas Cabo Verde. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  2. ^ "Fogo National Park". National Park National parks. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Resolução nº 36/2016" (PDF). Estratégia e Plano Nacional de Negócios das Áreas Protegidas. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 January 2021.
  4. ^ Estatísticas do Ambiente (PDF). Instituto Nacional de Estatística (Report). 2016. p. 24.
  5. ^ "Fogo". CV Ocean Travel. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Eruptive history of Mount Fogo". Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Heart of fire". UNDP Nature. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Volcano area, Ilha do Fogo". Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  9. ^ "Volcano area, Ilha do Fogo". Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  10. ^ Catarino, S.; Duarte, M.C.; Romeiras, M.M. (2017). "Echium vulcanorum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T107425957A107468177. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T107425957A107468177.en. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  11. ^ Catarino, S.; Duarte, M.C.; Romeiras, M.M. (2017). "Erysimum caboverdeanum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T107426112A107468187. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T107426112A107468187.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
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