Today we had the privilege to visit the Cabo Rojo Salt Flats which is part of the US Fish and Wildlife Refuge. The refuge consists of 1249 acres of dry forest, lagoons, salt flats and mangroves. The value of wildlife here is incalculable according to the National Fish and Wildlife Service. Also the salt flats are extremely incalcuble in valuable. The salt flats here are the first industry in Puerto Rico and also in all of America with extraction starting as far back as 700BC. In 1999 Cabo Rojo became part of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Jose Colon was our guide for the day. Jose is an avid bird watcher and photographer. Throughout the day he guided us through the Cabo Rojo Salt Flats. As our group toured the salt flats, Mr. Colon explained the process of extracting salt. He showed us the process of pumping water into ponds until the water becomes hyper saline. Also during our tour we were able to view some of the birds that inhabit the area and trek through the dry forest.
The Salt Flats are surprisingly filled with life. According to Mr. Colon, there are 120-130 species of birds that inhabit the Salt Flats. Additionally there are numerous migratory birds that pass through the salt flats on their way south for the winter. Unfortunately during this time of the year there aren't as many birds around so we weren't able to see the true colors of the place. Still it was nice to view some of the species. After our trek through the salt flats, we climbed an observation tower to get a birds eye view of how massive the salt flats are.
After lunch, we went back to watch a video of birds that inhabit the salt flats. But before we did that we went to see the ponds where brine shrimp (Artemia salina)were being raised. The Artemia salina are able to survive in the hypersaline waters of the salt flats. These along with other organisms such as bacteria and algae are responsible for the reddish-pink color in the lagoons. The brine shrimp also play an important role because they are a major food source for the migratory birds that come here.
Once we got a look at the Artemia salina we then headed to our next destination, a nearby lighthouse. At the lighthouse we were able to get to see the coast of Cabo Rojo and witness some amazing cliff views. It was pretty scary since there were no guardrails. I was pretty shaky taking pictures especially since I dont like hieghts. However I did manage to get a few shots and we all made it out safely. After this we were done for the day and we headed home.
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