Puerto Rico Critical Wildlife Areas - Puerto DRNA - Gobierno de ...

Petrochelidon fulva, Barn swallow Hirundo rustica, Caribbean Martin Progne dominicensis,
Antillean mockingbird Mimus polyglottos, Pearly-eyed thrasher Margarops fuscatus, Redlegged
thrush Turdus plumbeus. The yellow-shouldered blackbird Agelaius xanthomus has been
reported as an accidental bird (Pérez and Ferrer 1980).
Reptiles
Crested anole Anolis cristatellus, Barred anole A. stratulus, Common grass anole A.
pulchellus, Puerto Rico ground lizard Ameiva exsul, Puerto Rican slider Trachemys stejnegeri,
Puerto Rican boa Epicrates inornatus in the karst hills areas and upland areas south of Vacia
Talega (J. Chabert pers. comm.). Leather back turtles Dermochelys coriacea and Hawksbill
turtles Eretmochelys imbricata nests in the sandy beaches of the area (Cardona and Rivera
1988).
Amphibians
Giant toad Bufo marinus, Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana, Common coqui Eleutherodactylus
coqui, Antillean coqui E. antillensis and White-lipped frog Leptodactylus albilabris (DRN
1985).
Mammals
West Indian Manatee Trichechus manatus.
Fish
About 38 species of fish have been identified, these include: Barbudo Polydactylus
virginicus, Pargo rubio Lutjanus apodus among others.
Crustaceans
Blue land crab Cardisoma guanhumi, Callinectes sapidus, Macrobachium carcinus,
Aratus pisoni, Goniopsis cruentata, Ucides cordatus, Uca spp., Grapsus grapsus, Xiphocaris
elongate and Atya spp.
Threats:
These terrains have severe development pressure since 1960’s and have been in jeopardy
because of the construction of mega hotels. The natural landscape provides the perfect setting
for the development of recreational activities. Due to this setting, this CWA has been under
severe development pressure for many years. The construction of a bridge over the Loíza River
and the widening and paving of road 187 connecting Loíza and Piñones have greatly increased
vehicular traffic movement through the area.
Also there is great pressure for development of large tracts of privately owned lands,
especially in the eastern end of the Forest and the Vacía Talega sector which is one of the little
upland available in the Torrecillas-Piñones-Vacía Talega Swamp System. Urban development
of the only upland tracts of the sector will eliminate the biotic elements from this system. The
development of intense land use activities such as condos, hotels, and housing units would
certainly degrade the area’s natural resources, which, in turn, would negatively impact present
and proposed uses (Villanueva et al. 2000).
Upscale urbanization developments and hotels are being proposed for private sectors
within the eastern portion of the proposed Natural Reserve of Torrecilla Alta. These projects
receive public and political support, apparently because they believe the Natural Reserve is
limiting that town’s economic development. Other threat of the area is the presence of coliforms
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