Virgin-Islands-Nationalpark
The Virgin Islands National Park is located on the two Caribbean islands St. John and Hassel, belonging to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In the National Park, founded in 1956, is sheltered bays with crystal clear waters, coastal coral reefs with the associated life, sandy beaches and shaded by coconut palm trees and the rolling and in some mountainous hinterland of the islands with dense tropical forests that are habitat for more than 800 plant species. At this natural diversity, relics of the pre-Columbian population, Danish sugar plantations of the colonial period as well as certificates of slavery join.
Geography, geology and climate
The Virgin Islands National Park has a total area of about 52 km ² and is located on the U.S. Virgin islands about 80 km east of the island of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea. The largest part of the National Park is located on the 14 km long and 8 km wide island of St. John, occupies the area of the Park to more than two thirds. In addition, also includes large parts of the upstream coast, as well as almost all of Hassel Island for the National Park area.
At St. John and Hassel are volcanic islands that are caused by repeated strong over - and underground volcanic activity and thus connected successive elevation of the seabed, the cause of which lies in large-scale plate tectonic processes.
The islands have a subtropical climate, with high humidity and sultry nights. The average annual temperature is 26 ° C, the temperature variations between summer and winter are relatively low. Usually falls from July to January more rain during the spring and summer are dry.
History
The first people arrived probably already around 300 AD on the island of St. John, as the people of the Arawak from what is now Venezuela and Guyana fled here and found his new home. Even 100 years before Columbus went to St. John on November 4, 1493 Country, the Arawak were of cannibalistic Caribs, who raided the island, expelled and killed, so that the island upon arrival of the Spaniards was uninhabited.
In the 18th and 19th centuries was the part of the Virgin Islands, which now belongs to the U.S. territory, Danish-owned. For fear that the Germans might occupy the islands in the First World War, the U.S. bought the area in 1917 for 25 million dollars in gold bars from Denmark. In the postwar years, the tourism industry of St. John discovered for himself. To protect against the threat of commercialization 1956, the Virgin Islands National Park was established.
Flora
The original vegetation of St. John was destroyed with the deforestation of the Danes and replaced by exotic plants introduced. In 1956 the national park was created, it was found before only very small remnants of the original vegetation. The native plants have names such as kapok, Teyer palm, Lignum vitae, Wild Frangipani, bay rum, Meerwein, and Gumbo Limbo. These trees and shrubs are joined by a variety of colorful, also native orchid species. In drier parts grow agave and a few cacti. In some shallow bays the hochwurzeligen Mangroves form dense forests.
Fauna
Native mammals are only six different species of bats. To eliminate the rats that had come with the ships of the immigrants to St. John, 1884 mongooses have been reintroduced. This in Asia and Africa widespread civet malnourished, however, against all hope is not from the rats, but from the eggs of ground- birds. About 100 species of birds inhabit the islands today. Native are here also some lizards, frogs and turtles species and non-poisonous snakes. At the most diverse, however, shows the underwater world. The marine fauna of the subtropical flat sea is inhabited by several species of corals, snails, clams, starfish and many other marine animals.
Tourism
The most visited destinations of the national park are Annaberg and Trunk Bay. The Trunk Bay offers white sandy beaches and turquoise blue coves where you can take dives. Besides offering the Virgin Islands National Park with its many beaches, coral reefs, historic ruins and hiking trails countless other ways to get to know the park and perform activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking or bird watching. The visitor center is located at the western end of the island of St. John in the harbor of the small town of Cruz Bay.
The National Park can be reached by plane or by ferry. On the island of St. John, there are several hotels. There is a campground at Cinnamon Bay.
The upstream Virgin Islands Coral Reef since 2001 is also a National Monument of the United States.