Jaú National Park

Jaú National Park
Parque Nacional do Jaú
IUCN category II (national park)
Flooded forest in the park

Nearest city	Manaus, Amazonas
Coordinates	2°18′S 63°03′W / 2.3°S 63.05°W / -2.3; -63.05Coordinates: 2°18′S 63°03′W / 2.3°S 63.05°W / -2.3; -63.05
Area	2,367,333 hectares (5,849,810 acres)
Designation	National park
Created	24 September 1980
Administrator	ICMBio
World Heritage Site	UNESCO World Heritage Site Central Amazon Conservation Complex
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Type	Natural
Criteria	ix, x
Reference	998
UNESCO region	Latin America and the Caribbean
Inscription history
Inscription	2000 (24th Session)
Extensions	2003

The Jau national park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional do Jaú) is a national park located in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. It is the largest forest reserve in South America, and part of a World Heritage Site.

Location

The park is in the Amazonia biome, and covers and area of 2,367,333 hectares (5,849,810 acres). It was created by decree 85.200 of 24 September 1980. It is administered by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.^[1] It covers parts of the municipalities of Barcelos, Codajás and Novo Airão in the state of Amazonas.^[2]

The park is one of the largest protected areas in Brazil. It is about 220 kilometres (140 mi) northwest of Manaus and contains the entire Jaú River basin between the Unini River to the north and Carabinarni River to the south. All three rivers flow east to enter the right bank of the Rio Negro. The name "Jaú" comes from that of one of the largest fish in Brazil, the gilded catfish or jau (Zungaro zungaro), after which the main river of the park is named.^[3]

Environment

The park's terrain is representative of the Negro-Solimões interfluvial plateau. It has two main areas: the Trombetas/Negro plateau and the lower western Amazon plateau. The higher area has hills with flat tops at 150 to 200 metres (490 to 660 ft) cut by valleys, while the lower area has altitudes of about 100 metres (330 ft). There are large areas of seasonally flooded land with poor drainage, and some permanent lakes.^[2] Average annual rainfall is 2,500 millimetres (98 in). Temperatures range from 22 to 32 °C (72 to 90 °F) with an average of 26 °C (79 °F).^[2]

Vegetation types are dense rainforest (77%), open rainforest (14%}, transition from rainforest to campinarana (7%) and campinarana (2%). Botanists have catalogued about 400 plant species, several of which are restricted to certain environments such as the uplands and the flooded areas. 263 species of fish have been recorded, some new to science.^[3]

Conservation

The park is classed as IUCN protected area category II (national park). The objective is to preserve an Amazonian black water ecosystem for environmental education, interaction with local communities, sustainable tourism and the research. The park is designed as a mega-reserve and world heritage site for present and future generations.^[2] Protected species in the park include the margay (Leopardus wiedii), jaguar (Panthera onca), giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) and Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis).^[1]

Jaú National Park was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2000. In 2003 the property was expanded by the addition of the Anavilhanas National Park, Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve and Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve to form the Central Amazon Conservation Complex, a larger World Heritage Site.^[4]

Flooded forest
Sunrise over waterway
Vegetation
Castanheira with ropes for climbing tourists

Notes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jaú National Park.

Sources

Central Amazon Conservation Complex, UNESCO, retrieved 2016-05-05
Parque Nacional do Jaú (in Portuguese), Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, retrieved 2016-05-04
Parque Nacional de Jaú (in Portuguese), Via Rural, retrieved 2016-05-04
Unidade de Conservação: Parque Nacional do Jaú (in Portuguese), MMA: Ministério do Meio Ambiente, retrieved 2016-05-04

World Heritage Sites in Brazil

North Region	Central Amazon Conservation Complex

Northeast Region	Brazilian Atlantic Islands Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves¹ Historic Centre of São Luís Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda São Francisco Square in São Cristóvão Serra da Capivara National Park

Central-West Region	Brasília Cerrado Protected Areas Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Park Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás Pantanal Conservation Area

Southeast Region	Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves¹ Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves¹ Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina Historic Town of Ouro Preto Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas

South Region	Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves¹ Iguaçu National Park Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis² Ruins of São Miguel das Missões

¹ Shared with other region/s ² Shared with Argentina

Protected areas of Brazil

Ecological stations	Aracuri Caracaraí Carijós Guaraqueçaba Iquê Jari Juami-Japurá Jutaí-Solimões Maracá Maracá-Jipioca Niquiá Pirapitinga Rio Acre Seridó Serra das Araras Taiamã Taim Tamoios Tupinambás Tupiniquins Uruçui-Una

Biological reserves	Abufari Andradina Atol das Rocas Augusto Banhados do Delta Canela Preta Carmo da Mata Colônia 31 de Março Comboios Córrego de Veado Córrego Grande Fazenda São Mateus Fontes do Ipiranga Guaporé Guaratiba Guaribas Gurupi Ibirapuitã Ilha do Cabo Frio Jaíba Jaru Lago Piratuba Lami José Lutzenberger Lapinha Marinha do Arvoredo Mata do Acauã Mata do Jambreiro Mata dos Ausentes Mata Paludosa Mogi-Guaçu Pedra Talhada Perobas Pindorama Poço das Antas Praia do Sul Biological Reserve Professor José Ângelo Rizzo Rio Trombetas Saltinho Santa Isabel Santa Rita São Camilo São Donato São Sebastião do Paraíso Serra Negra Sooretama Tamboré Tapirapé Tinguá Uatumã Una Vila Facchini

National parks	Abrolhos Alto Ribeira State and Tourist Park Amazônia Anavilhanas Aparados da Serra Araguaia Araucárias Brasília Cabo Orange Campos Gerais Caparaó Cavernas do Peruaçu Chapada das Mesas Chapada Diamantina Chapada dos Guimarães Chapada dos Veadeiros Emas Fernando de Noronha Furna Feia Grande Sertão Veredas Iguaçu Ilha Grande Itatiaia Jacupiranga Jaú Jericoacoara Jurubatiba Juruena Lençóis Maranhenses Monte Pascoal Monte Roraima Nascentes Pacaás Novos Pantanal Matogrossense Pau Brasil Pedra Azul Pico da Neblina Pontões Capixabas Lagoa do Peixe Saint-Hilaire São Joaquim Sempre Vivas Serra da Bocaina Serra da Bodoquena Serra da Canastra Serra da Capivara Serra da Cutia Serra de Itabaiana Serra da Mocidade Serra do Cipó Serra do Divisor Serra do Itajaí Serra do Pardo Serra dos Órgãos Serra Geral Sete Cidades Superagüi Terra Ronca Tijuca Tumucumaque Ubajara Vale do Catimbau Viruá Xingu

Wildlife refuges	Castanheiras Pied Tamarin Ilha dos Lobos

Environmental protection areas	Anhatomirim Barra do Rio Cairuçu Cananéia-Iguape-Peruíbe Carste Cavernas do Peruaçu Descoberto River Basin Fernando de Noronha Guaraqueçaba Ibirapuitã Igarapé Gelado Morro da Pedreira Petrópolis Piaçabuçu Guapimirim Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago São Bartolomeu River Basin Serra da Mantiqueira Serra de Tabatinga

Ecological reserves	Alcobaça Apiacás IBGE Raso

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