Fogo Natural Park
Fogo Natural Park is a protected area located on Fogo Island in Cape Verde, an archipelago nation in the central Atlantic Ocean. Established in 2003, the park encompasses an area of, representing 17.8% of the island's total landmass. It is geographically distributed across three municipalities in the region. The park incorporates the active stratovolcano of Pico do Fogo and the Monte Velha forests.
Geography
Fogo is a protected area located on Fogo Island in Cape Verde, an island nation in the central Atlantic Ocean. The park was officially established on 24 February 2003, and is one of Cape Verde's ten natural parks. The protected area stretches for, accounting for 17.8% of the total area of the island. About 50% of the park lies within the municipality Santa Catarina do Fogo, 28% in municipality of Mosteiros and 22% in São Filipe. The natural park is situated in the interior of the island, and the major feature of the topography is the active stratovolcano of Pico do Fogo. It is the highest point in Cape Verde, rising to above sea level. The park covers the volcano, its crater, crater rim and the forests of Monte Velha. Fogo has encountered regular volcanic activity, with significant eruptions five times over the last five centuries. The most recent eruption was in 2014-15, which caused significant changes to the island. The caldera of the volcano is approximately wide and has a gash in its eastern rim, allowing lava flows to reach the coast during eruptions.
Flora and fauna
Fogo national park and the surrounding oceans covering an area of, is an Important Bird Area. Major bird species found including Fea's petrel, Boyd's shearwater and Cape Verde swift. The endemic plants Echium vulcanorum and Erysimum caboverdeanum are only found on the outer crater rim of the volcano of Fogo.