Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park
Encyclopedia
Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park is a national park
in Jamaica
. The park covers 495.2 km2 and accouts for 4.5% of Jamaica's land surface.
The park is globally known for its biodiversity
. This park is the last of two known habitats of the Giant Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio homerus
), the largest butterfly in the Western Hemisphere and also the habitat for the endangered Jamaican Blackbird
(Neospar nigerrimus), a refuge for the Jamaican Boa
(Epicrates subflavus) and the Jamaican Hutia (Geocapromys brownii).
The park was nominated UNESCO
World Heritage Site
for mixed criteria (cultural and natural) in 2011.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. The park covers 495.2 km2 and accouts for 4.5% of Jamaica's land surface.
The park is globally known for its biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
. This park is the last of two known habitats of the Giant Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio homerus
Papilio homerus
The Homerus swallowtail or Jamaican giant swallowtail, Papilio homerus, is the largest swallowtail butterfly in the Western Hemisphere and the largest species in the genus Papilio with an average wingspan of about...
), the largest butterfly in the Western Hemisphere and also the habitat for the endangered Jamaican Blackbird
Jamaican Blackbird
The Jamaican Blackbird is a species of bird in the New World blackbird and oriole family Icteridae. It is the only species in the genus Nesopsar...
(Neospar nigerrimus), a refuge for the Jamaican Boa
Jamaican Boa
The Jamaican Boa,, or yellow snake is non-venomous boa species found in Jamaica. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:Found in Jamaica, including Goat Island...
(Epicrates subflavus) and the Jamaican Hutia (Geocapromys brownii).
The park was nominated UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
for mixed criteria (cultural and natural) in 2011.