Where we are
Pico Bonito National Park is located on the north coast of Honduras, close to the municipality of La Ceiba. Consisting of 265,000 acres (107,300 hectares), it is one of the largest national parks in Honduras. Nine mountains rise above the tropical rainforest ecosystem. At 2435 meters, Pico Bonito is among the largest.
The park is home to an extensive network of river systems, beautiful waterfalls and a remarkable diversity of wildlife. The Cangrejal Watershed is based on the buffer zone of the park is home to approximately 45,000 living in 24 communities.
Flora
The diversity of plant species in Pico Bonito is astounding. Within the boundaries of the park, 10 different ecosystems and over 400 plant species. Vegetation changes with altitude. Tropical rainforests blanket the lowlands of the Park and unique cloud forests perch on the peaks of the mountains. The southern part of the park is even home to dry pine forests.
These broadleaf pine forests are lush with mahogany, cedar and passionflower. In the cloud forests of the peaks, different species of avocado and Encino trees are commonly found.
Hundreds of herb species inhabit Pico Bonito. Most abundant are epiphytes, plants with exposed root systems that live in trees, like orchids and bromeliads. Many of the plants and herbs of Pico Bonito have medicinal functions. Some of the species are very rare. Endemic plant species have also been found in Pico Bonito.
Fauna
A great variety of animals - insects, reptiles, birds, mammals and amphibians - live in the forests of Pico Bonito National Park. Many of the species found in the Park are threatened or in danger of extinction, such as tapirs, anteaters, wild boars, monkeys, and jaguars.
Pico Bonito is especially important for avifauna, both local and migratory birds. It has been estimated that Pico Bonito is home to about 400 bird species, many of them rare and strikingly beautiful like the famous quetzal, toucan, and mot mot.
The fauna of Pico Bonito are distinct. Some of the species are very rare, even endemic species have been found in the park. These include amphibians, reptiles and the only endemic bird found in Honduras- the emerald hummingbird (Amazilia luciae).