The wildlife of Haiti is important to the country because of its biodiversity. According to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Haiti is considered to be "one of the most biologically significant countries of the West Indies". With an estimated 5,600 plant species on the island of Hispaniola, some of which only occur in Haiti, 36% are considered as endemic to the island. A mountainous country, it is situated in the western three-eighths of Hispaniola and shares a border with the Dominican Republic. There are nine life zones, from low desert to high cloud forests, as well as four mountain ranges, and hundreds of rivers and streams and the coral reefs in the seas that surround the islands. Issues of environmental damage, expanding population, deforestation and erosion are of concern; less than 2% of the original forest remains on account of deforestation. This degradation is traced from the 17th century to 19th century starting with the French colonization of Haiti and the population explosion during the 20th century, which for the purpose of forestry and sugar-related industries, degraded the forests. and the environment.
Geography The features of the island terrain (generally mountainous) vary from the Caribbean Sea elevation of 0 metres (0 ft) to the highest point on the Chaine de la Selle, at 2,680 metres (8,790 ft). The land use distribution reported is of arable land 36.04%, permanent crops 10.09% and others 53.87%, with an irrigated area of 97,000 ha. The Massif de la Hotte (of 2.5 million years' age) is part of the far-southwestern mountain range of the island, has a few vestiges of cloud forests (within Pic Macaya National Park) which are known for endemic plant and reptile species. The grey-crowned palm-tanager is one of the rare endemic bird species here. The climate is tropical; mountains in the east cut off trade winds and cause semiarid conditions in some areas. The average annual precipitation is 1,461 millimetres (57.5 in), which varies with topography and wind direction. Hispaniola lies within the Main Development Region for tropical cyclone activity; hence Haiti experiences severe storms from June to November. Occasional floods and earthquakes also occur, and in some years droughts are experienced.
Protected areas
The regions of extreme biodiversity in Haiti have been brought under the law (by legal enactment of June 23, 1983) of protection and preservation of the ecology and the biodiversity of the identified areas. These regions have been declared national parks, and specifically the two large gazetted national parks are the Morne La Visite National Park as part of the Massif de La Selle (mountain range) and Pic Macaya National Park in the Massif de la Hotte (hill massif) is also an integral part. Apart from the major aspect of conservation of plants and animals in general, the park administration are also entrusted with the task of preserving the endangered species of mammals such as Plagiodontia aedium and Solenodon paradoxus. In addition there are two other parks the Pine Forest National Park, in the eastern Massif de la Selle, and the Historic Citadel National Park in the Massif du Nord. In these four parks no hunting, illegal logging and transfer of land for any development activity are allowed; however, enforcement of the laws has not been stringent due inadequate funding for maintenance and security arrangements. However, visitors are allowed to see the wildlife, the waterfalls and the general rain forest vistas in these parks. While the four national parks protect an area of 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres), there are proposals on the anvil to bring 18 more areas of the country under protective cover which encompass an area of another 23,000 hectares (57,000 acres).
La Visite National Park La Visite National Park covers an area of 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) (established in 1983) along the ridge of the Massif de la Selle range between the hill peaks of Morne d'Enfer (elevation 1,900 metres (6,200 ft)) and Morne Kadenau (2,155 metres (7,070 ft)) with the highest mountain of Pic Cabayo lying within the park rising to an elevation 2,130 metres (6,990 ft). It is at distance of 45 kilometres (28 mi) to the south of Port-au-Prince. According to the floristic survey carried out by Walter S. Judd of the University of Florida, the plants recorded in the park are 326 species of tracheophytes that includes 262 species of angiosperms, 76 species of mosses, 19 species of liverworts. In addition, the vascular plant species reported are 112 of which 32% are endemic species to Haiti. A reforestation programme has been undertaken since 2011 under which 300,000 seedlings were under planting in memory of the 300,000 people who perished in Haiti in the earthquake of 12 January 2010.
Pic Macaya National Park The Pic Macaya National Park, on the southern peninsula, which is 198 kilometres (123 mi) from Port-au-Prince and 36 kilometres (22 mi) to the northwest of Les Cayes, has a designated area of 5,500 hectares (14,000 acres) that includes a ravine formation located between the mountain peaks of Pic Formon (2,219 metres (7,280 ft)) and Pic Macaya (2,347 metres (7,700 ft)). The park receives an annual average rainfall of 4,000 millimetres (160 in). The Rivere Ravine Sud rises from these mountains and flows through the park. Karst limestone formations and agricultural areas are also part of the park. There are two major types of vegetation in the park – the wet forests on limestone formations (in an elevation range of 800-1200m), and the cloud forest combined with pine forest including endemic plant species. The largest broad leaf trees are of pine some of which are 45 metres (148 ft) in height. Detailed floristic surveys have recorded 470 species of tracheophytes, which include 367 species of anglosperms, 99 species of mosses, 63 species of liver worts. In addition, the vascular plant species reported are 136, of which 29% are endemic to Haiti. Orchids are also found in large numbers. Other wildlife consists of birds and amphibians which are mostly endemic. The most productive agricultural lands of the Plaine de Cayes are within the park area. The park has many trekking paths including to the mountain trek to peak Pic Macaya (2,347 metres (7,700 ft)).
Coral reefs
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