| La Cordillera Reef Nature Reserve | |
|---|---|
| Reserva Natural Arrecifes de la Cordillera Reserva Natural Cayos de la Cordillera | |
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
 La Cordillera east of cape Las Cabezas de San Juan in Cabezas, Fajardo | |
  | |
| Location | Fajardo, Puerto Rico |
| Nearest city | Las Croabas, Fajardo |
| Coordinates | 18°22′15″N 65°33′15″W / 18.37083°N 65.55417°W |
| Area | 29,653 acres (120.00 km2) |
| Established | 1978 |
| Governing body | Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) |
The La Cordillera Reef Nature Reserve (Spanish: Reserva Natural Arrecifes de la Cordillera), also known as the Reserva Natural Cayos de la Cordillera (Cordillera Cay Nature Reserve), is a nature reserve located 1.5 nautical miles off the coast of the barrio of Cabezas in the municipality of Fajardo in northeastern Puerto Rico. It consists of a small chain of cays, reefs, and islets, collectively known as La Cordillera (''the mountain range'') or Cayos de la Cordillera (Cordillera Cays). From west to east, the archipelago comprises Las Cucarachas islets, Los Farallones islets, Icacos cay, Ratones cay, Lobos cay, Palominos island, Palominitos island, La Blanquilla cay and islets, Diablo cay, Hermanos reefs, and Barriles reefs. The nature reserve covers about 18 nautical miles and almost 30,000 acres between cape Las Cabezas de San Juan in Cabezas, Fajardo and the Spanish virgin island of Culebra.[1][2][3]
With the exception of Palominos island and Lobos cay, which are privately owned, all cays, reefs, and islets in the small chain are protected by the marine reserve. The total land area of the reserve is 218 acres. The nature reserve is also important for local fishermen and eastern coastal municipalities, including Fajardo, Ceiba, and Naguabo, which depend on the reserve for their fishing industries.[4][5]
Although occasionally included as part of the reserve, the cays and reefs outside the chain that lie immediately next and parallel to the main coastline of Puerto Rico in Fajardo and Ceiba are not strictly protected by the reserve. From north to south, these are: Obispo cay, Zancudo cay, Roncador reef, Mata Caballos reef, Corona Carrillo reef, Ahogado cay, Ramos island, Largo cay, Piñeros island, Cabeza de Perro cay, Piñerito cay, Cabritas cay, and Cabras island.
- ^ "La Cordillera". prfrogui.com. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ "Reserva Natural Arrecifes de la Cordillera" (PDF). Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 28, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ "Cartografía de los Usos Científicos de la Reserva Natural Canal Luis Peña y la Reserva Natural Arrecifes de la Cordillera" (PDF). Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ "La Reserva Natural de los Arrecifes de Cordillera". studylib.es (in Spanish). Archived from the original on August 28, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ "Trasfondo". coralesdelestepr (in Spanish). Archived from the original on August 28, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2022.