National parks of the world. The most beautiful national parks in the world
As you can guess from the title, National Park Snowdonia is located in the Snowdon mountains. The elevation of 3,560 feet offers scenic views of the park. Lakes and rivers are set against a background of trees and rocks, making a park ideal place for relaxation and taking photographs. Within the boundaries of Snowdonia Park, visitors can also admire ancient castles. History is an area of legends and traditions, which makes the park even more fascinating place for visiting. Sleep music is easy and relaxing to listen to
Grand Canyon, USA
Over hundreds of years, the Colorado River created this amazingly complex Grand Canyon. Every year, tourists flock to this place to admire its beauty, travel to the bottom of the canyon and set up camp. The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders light, and was also included in the list World Heritage UNESCO. The Grand Canyon extends over 1,200,000 acres.
Kruger National Park, South Africa
One of the biggest national parks in the world, the Kruger Park covers millions of acres of land. It is home to a huge number of African animal species, including elephants, giraffes and many more. You can watch these animals from observation towers, scattered throughout the park. More national park Kruger offers 9 different routes, including at night.
Deosai, Pakistan
Every spring, thousands of flowers and butterflies begin to bloom in Deosai National Park, forming a living carpet, and this riot of colors makes this place fabulously beautiful. Of course, it is advisable to visit the park in the spring, although it is beautiful all year round.
Kakadu National Park, Australia
The Australian government and Aboriginal people work together to care for such a beautiful national park Cockatoo. The park is a World Heritage Site and its amazing views attract tourists all year round. One of the most interesting attractions of the park is the Aboriginal rock art that can be found in the area. It is also home to a range of animals, including the saltwater crocodile.
Hortobagy, Hungary
Hortobagy became the first national park in Hungary. It was declared as a national park in 1973. In 1999, the park was included in the list of World Heritage Sites. Home to wild horses and a range of endangered birds, Hortobagy Park is home to over 342 bird species and is a true birdwatcher's paradise.
Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
This area of Croatia is ideal for relaxation and hiking amazing mountainous area with lakes and streams. The uniqueness of the reservoirs of this park is that the water contains travertine. This gives the water perfect clarity as well as a very vibrant blue-green hue.
Madain Saley National Historical Park, Saudi Arabia
While many parks have dense vegetation, Madain Salei consists almost entirely of desert and rocks. The amazing oases and attractions of the park will blow your mind. The ancient burial ground in the park is also beautiful. More than 125 graves and facades were carved into the rock sometime between 500 BC. and 100 AD. They are still in excellent condition and are certainly worth a visit if you are in the area.
Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal
Here you can admire Everest, as well as its adjacent mountains, monasteries and villages. National Park serves as a home for mountain goats, which balance perfectly while climbing dangerous sheer cliffs.
Iguazu National Park, Argentina and Brazil
National Park Iguazu is located in Argentina and Brazil. Iguazu Falls is actually made up of hundreds of waterfalls in a circle of curved rock. The park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including howler monkeys, jaguars, tapirs and caimans.
Some governments are making great efforts to protect certain areas in order to preserve cultural and cultural heritage for future generations. natural resources of his people.
There are more than 160 thousand protected areas in the world. In total, they occupy 10% of the entire surface of the planet. Here are the biggest ones:
The largest nature reserves in the world
1. Papahanaumokuakea (area – 1.5 million km²)
Monk SealHe was the first to propose the idea of creating a conservation area in Hawaii. ex-president USA Theodore Roosevelt back in 1909. But only 100 years later, in 2006, George W. Bush, with the support of the US Departments of Commerce and the Interior, which allocated funding, created the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Monument.
And in 2016, Barack Obama nearly quadrupled the amount of protected area, making Papahānaumokuākea the largest nature reserve in the world.
It is home to more than 7 thousand species of various plant and animal species, including the endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
2. Northeast Greenland National Park (area – 972 thousand km²)
Considering that the national park covers the entire northern part Greenland, it is recognized as one of the largest national parks in the world. Its size is larger than the area of 163 of the 195 existing countries in the world.
This national park is home to polar bears, walruses, arctic foxes, snowy owls and many other species, some of which are critically endangered. The park was created in 1974, over time its territory increased, and in 1977 it already received the status of a biosphere reserve of international importance.
3. Marine protected area of the Chagos Archipelago (area – 544 thousand km²)
The territory of the world's largest marine protected area is under the patronage of Great Britain and is the largest reserve of marine flora and fauna on the planet.
Territory of the district more than France and is located 500 km south of Maldives. The reserve covers seven atolls and coral islands with a beautiful and diverse underwater natural world, which plays a key role in the formation of the local ecosystem.
Chagos is home to more than 1,200 species of coral, a variety of fish and one of the rarest species of sea turtles.
4. Kavango-Zambezi Transboundary Nature Reserve (area – 444 thousand km²)
The reserve covers the territory of several African countries: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. There are several national parks here, including Chobe, Nhai Pan and Bwabwata, the Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls.
Kavango-Zambezi was founded to protect the migration of animals from one country to another. The region's biological resources include one of the largest elephant populations on the African continent.
5. Phoenix Islands Protected Area (area – 408 thousand km²)
The protected area is located in the Republic of Kiribati and is the largest natural reserve of marine life in Pacific Ocean.
These sites are connected to the mystery of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, a famous female pilot whose plane is believed to have disappeared in these waters in 1937.
Five of the eight protected islands are home to extremely rare and endangered bird species, attracting attention from tourists and researchers. Some areas of the reserve can be visited, but only with special permission.
6. Great Barrier Reef (area – 344.4 thousand km²)
One of Australia's most interesting natural attractions is undoubtedly the Great Barrier Reef, the largest collection of coral in the world. Many exotic species of marine flora and fauna live here in one place.
The area was declared a national park because the corals were rapidly disappearing due to pollution. environment. Now, for example, tourists and surfers visiting a nature park are required to follow strict rules of conduct.
The Great Barrier Reef is located near the state of Queensland and consists of a chain of more than 900 islands and 2,900 individual reefs stretching over 2,600 kilometers in length.
Tourism in this region generates billions of dollars in revenue for Australia.
7. Galapagos Marine Reserve (area – 133 thousand km²)
Marine iguana The islands of the archipelago are located a thousand kilometers off the coast of Ecuador. The reserve is home to many species of sharks, whales, turtles, and fish. The remote location, the mixing of warm and cold sea currents, fresh and salty waters, contributed to the development of an extraordinary animal world.
Charles Darwin studied in detail the various species of animals that lived on these islands, and subsequently, based on the analysis of the data obtained, he developed his theory of evolution.
The greatest threat to the conservation of the region's biodiversity today is illegal fishing of fish, lobsters, sea cucumbers (holothurians) and some species of sharks.
8. Air and Tenere National Reserve (area – 77.36 thousand km²)
The protected area is located in Niger and is protected by UNESCO. The name appeared as a result of a combination of the names of the two regions where the reserve is located: East End on the Air plateau, and the western one in the Tener desert (part of the Sahara).
The reserve is home to various endangered species, and only some parts of it are accessible to tourists.
A distinctive feature of this territory are dunes, caves, canyons, underwater caves and others of various shapes and types. geographical features, found only in this part of the world.
There is a mountain made of real marble, as well as sand dunes with an ever-changing appearance.
9. Rangel St. Elias (area – 53.3 thousand km²)
This national park and wildlife refuge was created in 1980 and is located in southern Alaska and nine US states.
The park's 16 mountain peaks are the highest in the United States, and the landscapes are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps.
10. Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (area – 37.6 thousand km²)
The protected area of the park continues to expand and currently covers lands in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, uniting several national parks.
Animals inhabiting the area: African elephants, giraffes, leopards, hyenas, white rhinoceroses, cheetahs, mongooses, etc.
Tourism is developed here and various safaris are held. In addition to standard jeep tours, there are canoe tours, walking tours, and various events and festivals are held for guests.
Greater Limpopo 
Bali Barat is a national park in the north-west of the island of Bali, which has received the status nature reserve in 1917. In 1941 it became an Indonesian National Park.
On an area of 760 sq. km there are tropical forests, jungles, dry savannas, mangrove swamps, as well as acacia thickets and alpine forests. To the north of the park is the jutting peninsula of Prapat Agung. It is surrounded by protected beaches and Coral reefs, as well as the small offshore island of Menjangan, a popular diving destination. There are several in the east extinct volcanoes. The highest of them are Mount Patas (1,412 meters) and Merbuk (1,388 meters).
One hundred and sixty bird species have been recorded in the park, including the critically endangered Bali starling. First of all, it was for this reason that the park was created. In 2001 There were only six individuals of this bird left in the world, and all of them were in this park.
The fauna is represented by deer, black monkeys, flying foxes, wild boars, macaques, squirrels, snakes, reef herons, black Indian cuckoos, etc.
90 percent of the area is closed to the public, and only a few routes are accessible to tourists accompanied by official guides.
The most popular route through the tropical jungle is climbing Mount Gunung Klatakan. In addition to the stunning scent emanating from the many orchids, the path will be graced by black monkeys, hornbills and even flying foxes.
No less popular water routes, passing along Gilimanuk Bay through the mangrove forests bordering the coast. Several graceful dusky Pacific Reef Herons can be spotted here.
First National parks , protecting natural societies, appeared in the 16th century. However, the first National was discovered only at the end of the 19th century in the USA. This truly high honor was given to the unique Yellowstone Plateau, rich in geysers and hot mineral springs, where Yellowstone National Park was opened in 1872. In 1916, the Service was created in the USA national parks. US national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Jasper, Olympic and others are now well known outside of North America.
The best nature reserves and national parks in the world
Since then, many have been discovered on all continents national parks. The first national park in Europe was created in 1914 in the canton of Grisons, Switzerland. Then in 1922 the Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy was opened. First national park in France there was Vanoise, created in 1963. It borders the Italian Gran Paradiso for 14 kilometers. There are seven national parks in France, three of which are located in the Alpine crescent that stretches from France to Austria. The Alpine Crescent also contains other famous national parks of the world: Berchtesgaden in Germany, Hohe Tauern in Austria, Stelvio in Italy and Triglav in Slovenia.
Yellowstone - US national park
Yellowstone National Park- probably the most world famous national park. It is located on the border of the American states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The park, founded on March 1, 1872, is famous for its numerous geysers, and Yellowstone Lake, one of the largest alpine lakes in North America, is located in the crater of the largest supervolcano on the continent. Therefore, most of the park is covered with solidified lava.
Yellowstone is home to nearly three thousand geysers, which is two-thirds of all geysers in the world. It is home to the world's largest Steamboat Geyser, as well as one of the most famous geysers in the world, Old Faithful Geyser. The latter throws jets of hot water to a height of more than forty meters, and the interval between eruptions ranges from 45 to 125 minutes. Besides Yellowstone, there are only four geyser fields in the world - the Valley of Geysers in Kamchatka, as well as fields in Iceland, Chile and New Zealand.
In addition to geysers, the park contains about ten thousand different geothermal springs, including hot and hydrogen sulfide springs and mud volcanoes. Yellowstone is home to half of all geothermal springs in the world. In addition, about two thousand species of plants grow here, and several hundred species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish are found.
Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
Name " Plitvice Lakes" was first recorded in 1777, in 1949 the lakes received the status national park, and 30 years later they were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. There are 16 large karst lakes, 140 waterfalls, and 20 caves in the park. Moreover, Plitvice Lakes is one of the few national parks a world where new waterfalls are born every year. What is especially characteristic of the park is the color of the water. The pictures of the lakes look like a photo montage, but the water here really has an azure color. You can admire it from wooden decks, the total length of which reaches 18 km.
The park also contains walking routes, a walk along the shortest of which takes two hours, and along the longest - eight. A boat also runs along the lakes, and mountain roads can be explored using an electric train with observation cars. It is strictly forbidden to swim in the lakes of the park, as well as to have picnics, make fires, and bring dogs. In addition, there is a unique beech and coniferous forest that has been preserved since ancient times and has the ability to regenerate itself.
Snowdonia, UK
Snowdonia National Park, located in north Wales, was created 60 years ago and became one of the three original national parks in England and Wales. The park owes its name to Mount Snowdon (1085 m), which is the highest point in Wales.
Unlike nature reserves in other countries, Snowdonia, like other national parks around the world, includes both public and private lands. Moreover, about 26 thousand people live in the park, while about 6 million tourists visit it annually. Snowdonia has 2,381 km of open footpaths, 264 km of trails for walkers and riders and 74 km of other open roads. Moreover, Mount Snowdon can be reached either along a picturesque 13 km long walking trail or by cable car. At the same time, the routes of several historical railways pass through the park.
Grand Canyon, USA
The Grand Canyon is one of the most deep canyons in the world is located on the Colorado Plateau, in American state Arizona. Its length is 446 km, and its depth reaches 1600 m. The canyon was cut by the Colorado River through limestone, shale and sandstone about 5-6 million years ago. These are perhaps the most complete geological outcrops in the world, representing the history of the Earth over 1.5 billion years. Moreover, the canyon continues to grow today.
About 2 million people visit the Grand Canyon Reserve every year, and the most popular among tourists is rafting down the Colorado on inflatable rafts. The climate on the plateau and at the bottom of the canyon differs sharply - when at the top it is about fifteen degrees Celsius, at the bottom of the gorge, among the hot stones, the temperature rises to plus forty. Therefore, most tourists prefer to admire the canyon with observation platforms located on its banks. After all, in order to go down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, it will take more than one hour.
Serengeti, Tanzania
Serengeti National Park is famous for the huge number of animals living in this territory. According to scientists, about five hundred species of birds and three million large animals live here. Moreover, a significant part of the animals (wildebeest and zebra) migrate annually from the north of the park, where drought sets in, to the south. With the onset of the rainy season in April-June, animals migrate to the west and north. It is also home to the largest population of lions on the planet of any national park in the world. The Serengeti is also home to thousands of elephants, gazelles, hyenas, hippos and rhinoceroses. And the name of the park in the Maasai language means “endless plains,” because most of the Serengeti is endless savannah.
Fiordland, New Zealand
Fiordland National Park- the largest in New Zealand, it occupies most mountainous southwestern part South Island. Here are the most deep lakes New Zealand, and the mountains in this part of the island reach a height of 2746 meters. Fiordland is still one of the most inaccessible areas in New Zealand. In addition to picturesque fjords, waterfalls and rushing rivers, the park is famous for its rich flora and fauna.
They live in dense forests rare species birds, for example, cockatoos. While visiting Fiordland, you might see bottlenose dolphins or penguins. One of the most popular places The park includes Milford Sound, which the famous writer Rudyard Kipling called “the eighth wonder of the world.” The bay, about 16 km long, is surrounded by majestic mountains more than a kilometer high. Moreover, this is one of the wettest places on the planet: only every third day here is not marked by rain.
Iguazu, Argentina-Brazil
Name Iguazu Falls comes from the Guarani words y (water) and guasu (big). Legend has it that God wanted to marry a beautiful Aboriginal woman, but she ran away with her lover in a canoe. In anger, God cut the river, creating waterfalls, condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.
Today, a complex of 270 waterfalls has formed on the Iguazu River. Par is located on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones. The border between the countries is marked by the Devil's Throat waterfall, which is 150 m wide and 7000 m long. This is the largest waterfall in the complex. The height of the water fall on Igausa reaches 82 meters, but at most waterfalls it does not exceed 60 meters. You can view the waterfalls thanks to the bridges, the total length of which is about 2 km.
Banff National Park, Canada
The oldest Banff National Park Canada was founded in 1885. Two trans-Canada highways pass through the southern part of the park - a railway and a road. It is during laying railway in 1883, hot springs were accidentally discovered in caves on the eastern slopes of the mountains. Two years later, these places were recognized as unique and taken under protection.
The park was named " rocky mountain park"and became the first national park in Canada and the second created in North America, after Yellowstone National Park. Today it is one of the most visited national parks in the world. After all, here you can find everything that is associated with Canada: extraordinary beauty landscapes and the smell of fir trees. There are glaciers, hot springs, hiking trails, ski slopes. The center of the park is the highest locality Canada, the city of Banff, located at an altitude of 1463 m above sea level.
Torres del Paine, Chile
Torres del Paine National Park located in southern Chile, in Patagonia. The name of the park translated from the Araucan Indian language means “Blue Towers”. It is the three needle-shaped granite mountains, whose height ranges from 2600 to 2850 m, that have become the symbol of the national park. The highest point of Torres del Paine is Mount Paine Grande, whose height is 3,050 m.
There are two routes through the park. One of them takes 4 days, the second – about a week. Moreover, the park is one of the most visited tourist sites in Chile. After all, there are glaciers here, high mountains, lakes, forests, many animals and birds live, and among the flowers you can even find orchids.
Tatra Mountains, Poland-Slovakia
Two Tatra national parks - one in Poland, the other in Slovakia - have common border length 64 km. This is the most high part Carpathians, whose length is approximately 60 km. These mountains were formed by glaciers, so the Tatras have many U-shaped valleys, mountain lakes with incredible clean water. Green areas and bare rocks occupy more than a quarter of the national park.
The flora of the Tatras consists of more than a thousand species of plants, and the chamois can be called a living symbol of the park. This is a small animal from the goat subfamily, weighing 30-35 kg, covered with thick hair. Despite conservation measures, these animals are still on the verge of extinction. The park also contains deer, wild boars, roe deer, as well as wolves, bears and lynxes. Thanks to its varied topography, the Tatras - favorite place recreation for ski lovers.
National (natural) park- a protected area of territory (water area) with an intact natural complex, often with unique objects (waterfalls, canyons, picturesque landscapes, etc.). Combines the protection of landscapes with the admission of visitors for recreation. Considering that their purpose is mass tourism, natural parks have a significant area.
Currently there are more than a thousand national parks in the world.
Greenlandic
The largest national park in the world - Greenlandic- located in the northeast of the island of Greenland. Its area is about 70 million hectares. This unique park in Greenland is also the northernmost of all national parks in the world. The park is home to 40% of the world's musk oxen population. Among the protected animals there are also polar bear, walrus, arctic fox, ermine, lemming, arctic hare, different types of seals, ringed seals, narwhals, whales, etc. Reindeer disappeared from the park back in 1990. Wolves often visit the park.
Yellowstone National Park
The world's first national park was opened in 1872 in the USA. It was Yemstone National Park, located on the Yellowstone Plateau. The area of the park is 898.3 thousand hectares. This is one of the oldest parks in the world. First of all, it is famous for its hot springs. Geysers emit jets of hot water and steam to a height of up to 90 m. Eruptions occur regularly at regular intervals. The water of geysers and hot springs, rich in calcium and silicon, forms bizarre sinter terraces rising to a considerable height.
The park is home to 1,870 plant species, eight of which are coniferous. 80% of all forest areas are occupied by lodgepole pine. The most common deciduous trees are aspen, willow, and birch ( for the most part in the undergrowth). Of the flowering plants in the park, it is worth noting Abronia sand-loving, or Yellowstone sand verbena. This plant is found in the wild only within the boundaries of the park. The park is home to about 60 species of mammals, including rare ones: wolf, lynx, grizzly bear, American bison, black bear (baribal), wapiti deer, elk, black-tailed deer, bighorn goat, pronghorn, bighorn, puma, etc.
Yellowstone National Park is a wonderful tourist destination. It receives up to 3 million visitors per year. All conditions have been created for them, various excursions and routes have been organized. But areas of untouched nature still remain. They have no roads and access is strictly limited. The park is considered a biosphere protected area. Thanks to Yellowstone National Park, the bison population has been preserved and restored.
Komodo
One of the most interesting national parks in the world - Komodo National Park, which is located on several islands that make up the Lesser Sunda Islands archipelago (Indonesia). It is home to the world's only population of the world's largest lizard, Komodo dragons. They are covered with strong scales and have a rather long tail. Komodo dragons have five toes on their feet. According to some reports, it was these lizards that became the prototype of the dragons about which Chinese sailors created legends.
The national park currently operates as a strict biosphere reserve. The monitor lizard's habitat is also fully protected.
The world learned about the existence of this huge lizard in 1912, when one of the European pilots flew here forced landing and told in his homeland about what he saw. The Indonesian monitor lizard really makes a terrifying impression: its length is about 3.5 m, its weight is up to 150 kg, it has a huge mouth with many teeth. Appearance lizards are in many ways reminiscent of extinct dinosaurs. Monitor lizard is a predator. It hunts wild deer and pigs, runs fast and swims well, is extremely gluttonous, and easily eats 6 kg of meat in one go. The animal is undoubtedly unique, having no analogues in the world.
Serengeti
In the zone African savannah enjoys special fame Serengeti national park in Tanzania. He owes this to the famous biologist, ecologist, writer, and documentary filmmaker Bernhard Grzimek(1907-1986). B. Grzimek wrote about the Serengeti: “Tourists are attracted to Africa only by its virgin nature with its wild animals. If it disappears here too wild fauna, as has happened almost everywhere, then there will be no need for tourists to come here.” Huge herds of various ungulates are typical of the Serengeti. In the vast expanses of the savannah, wildebeest graze along with zebras, gazelles and giraffes, and Cairo buffalo are found in the dense thickets. All these animals are characterized by mass movements (migrations) following the rain front throughout the year. Predators also follow the herds of ungulates. The number of ungulates currently within the park is estimated at hundreds of thousands of individuals, there are several thousand elephants, hundreds of lions, hippos, and rhinoceroses.
Swiss national park
In Europe, the first national park was created in the canton of Grisons. It's called Swiss national park. The park was founded on August 1, 1914 on an area of 172.4 km2. It includes the Alpine area at an altitude between 1400-3174 m above sea level on the border with Austria and Italy. The park is famous for its unique and diverse flora and fauna, as well as its absolutely untouched nature. The predominant landscapes are mountain coniferous forests and alpine meadows. Roe deer and chamois live here, less often - alpine ibex and fox; There are also deer, marmots, partridges, wood grouse and several species of birds of prey.
Corbett
Corbett- the oldest national park India, it was founded during British colonial rule in 1935 and occupies about 52 thousand hectares in the valley of the Ramganta River, flowing down from the southern slopes Himalayas. The park's hilly plain (altitude ranges from 400 to 900 m) is covered with forests. During the wet monsoon, vast reservoirs often form in the valley, overgrown with aquatic vegetation. This is the habitat of the giant gharial, or swamp crocodile. The crocodile family has lived on Earth for about 150 million years. For many years, these reptiles were actively exterminated in order to obtain valuable leather. Nowadays crocodiles are bred for industrial needs in special nurseries, but in nature they are protected almost everywhere.
The main conservation site in the national park is tiger. Number of tigers in India in the 1930s-1950s. sharply decreased due to uncontrolled shooting by both colonialists and local poachers. Back in the 1960s. The Indian government launched a large-scale Operation Tiger aimed at preserving and restoring the number of this animal. The main events were held in Korbst Park. Now the number of tigers is close to optimal.
The park is also home to several species of Asian deer, sloth bear, and more than 400 species of birds. For a long time park due to difficult transport accessibility little visited by tourists.
At the end of the 1970s. a modern highway has been built from the capital of India, Delhi, and the park is visited by thousands of tourists from different countries peace.
Central Kalahari Nature Reserve
In the desert zone we will call the Central Kalahari Nature Reserve in South Africa. It was founded in 1957. Its area is 5 million hectares. Unlike national parks, which can be visited by tourists, only scientific workers are allowed in the reserves. In the Central Kalahari Reserve live local Bushmen tribes who lead their traditional economy. The main object of protection in the reserve is unique plant- Velvichia.
Velvichia has a thick woody trunk 30 cm long and looks like a giant flower with huge petals, which are actually the leaves of this plant. In the hot desert, where water is life, Velvichia absorbs moisture from the air with its huge leaves, collects dew, and “drinks” the fog.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park was created in USA in 1890, has an area of more than 300 thousand hectares, located on the western slopes of the mountains Sierra Nevada. Mountain peaks they rise here to almost 4 thousand meters. There are many waterfalls on mountain rivers. With abundant rainfall, ancient dark coniferous forests consist of many species of spruce, pine, and fir. More than 250 species of typical taiga mammals and birds are represented. But the main glory of the national park came from the preserved areas of the giant sequoia. Individual trees of this species, several thousand years old, reach a height of 150 m with a trunk diameter of 10 m. Sequoia wood is reddish in color, very light, but at the same time hard, durable, and slightly susceptible to rotting. It is believed that in the Tertiary period, sequoia was widespread throughout the Earth, but now, after many years of predatory extermination, areas of virgin forests are very rare and are strictly protected. It is found in botanical gardens almost all over the world.
Banff and Jasper
On South Canadian Rockies there are two large national parks Banff And Jasper. Banff Park, with an area of about 700 thousand hectares, was created in 1885. To the north of it begins Jasper Park (an area of more than 1 million hectares), founded in 1907. The height of the Rocky Mountains within the parks reaches 3700 m. This is a region of harsh mountain taiga. In the strongly dissected Slope Mountains there are glaciers, snowfields, and frequent waterfalls and hot springs (they began to be used for bathing in the 19th century).
Coniferous forests are dominated by mountain spruce, maritime pine, and Douglas fir (up to 45 m in height). The most common large animals in mountain forests are deer, black bears, black-tailed deer, mountain sheep, and many birds.
One of the most unusual animals of the Rocky Mountains is the bighorn goat, found only here. It is an animal with a thick, long white six, similar to a domestic goat. Lives in the alpine belt, rarely descending into the forests. Well adapted to life in the mountains, capable of jumping 6-7 m on barely noticeable mountain ledges. The animal is very rare; work is currently underway to increase its numbers and, in the future, to domesticate it. Both national parks are biosphere reserves and successfully combine protection wildlife with tourism.
Virunga
Almost in the very center of Africa, right on the equator, is located Virunga National Park. It was created in 1915, covers an area of more than 20 thousand hectares and is located in the north-west of a small African stateRwanda, on the southern slopes of the volcanic mountains Virunga. The park is home to several cones of extinct volcanoes up to 4,500 m high. Virunga is located just south of the equator, and its landscapes are dominated by humid equatorial and mountain forests and shrubs. The main object of protection is the mountain gorilla - the largest ape.
Blue Mountains Park
northwest of Sydney, on a mountain plateau dissected by deep gorges, one of the largest national parks in the southeastern Australia - Blue Mountains Park (« Blue Mountains") with an area of 200 thousand hectares. It was created in 1959. The “Blue Mountains” are part of the Great Dividing Range, the highest altitudes here do not exceed 1200 m. In some places, tower-shaped columnar remains of sandstone have been preserved, and waterfalls are not uncommon on small rivers. Along the river valleys there are dense forests of blue eucalyptus, acacia, mint trees, and tree ferns.
Platypuses, possums, giant gray kangaroos are preserved here, among the birds are Wong's pigeon, lyrebird, fantail, and yellow flycatcher. It should be noted that the animal and vegetable world Australia is not rich, but very unique: 9/10 of the continent's flora and fauna cannot be found in any other area of the globe. It is this uniqueness that arouses great interest among scientists and requires the most stringent protection measures. Blue Mountains Park has done just that. There are many places left there that are inaccessible, completely untouched, where no tourist has ever set foot.
Rancho Grande
Rancho Grande- the first national park Venezuela— was created in 1937. It occupies an area of about 90 thousand hectares on the spurs of the Venezuelan Andes, facing Caribbean Sea, absolute altitudes- up to 2500 m. The altitudinal zone with an abundance of diverse tropical forests is well represented here. High humidity (about 1700 mm of precipitation per year) determines the richness of fauna, especially dwarf palms, orchids, ferns, and lianas. The national park is famous for its rare birds: more than 30 species of hummingbirds (the weight of the largest individuals of these tiny birds does not exceed 5 g), parrots, guajaro (a rare bird of the nightjar family, usually nests in deep caves numerous colonies, active at night). The largest venomous snake on Earth is found here - the giant rattlesnake, reaching 3.5 m in length. Among mammals, peccaries, sloths, capuchin monkeys (so named for the black crest on their head), raccoons, and jaguars are common.
Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Islands located directly on the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of South America and belong to the state Ecuador. All islands with a total area of about 10 thousand hectares were declared a national park in 1934. The archipelago has about 15 volcanic islands, of which five are large, highest points which rise to a height of 1700 m. Volcanic activity continues to this day. The islands are washed by a cold current, and the water and air temperatures here are relatively low for the equator +21...+25°C. The vegetation is poor: mainly cacti and thorny bushes. Nevertheless, the Galapagos are extremely interesting for science, and it was here that he began to conduct his research Charles Darwin in 1835
There are many amazing animals on the islands: penguins that came here from Antarctica thanks to the cold current; flightless cormorants, giant turtles, marine iguanas, Galapagos sea lion.
Galapagos tortoises - huge animals with a shell length of up to 1.5 m and a weight of 200 kg - were exterminated by humans for their tasty and nutritious meat. Now the turtles are under protection, their numbers are increasing.
The marine iguana is the only species of lizard whose entire life is associated with a narrow coastal zone of shallow water and a strip of shore. This large reptile, up to 1.5 m long, swims well, feeds on algae and more.
Galapagos National Park has a strict regime: visiting the islands by tourists, all economic activities, and the import of foreign plants and animals is prohibited. The International Biological Station has been operating here since 1964. Thus, the Galapagos Islands are more correctly considered a biosphere reserve.
