Boa Nova National Park (known locally as Parque Nacional de Boa Nova) is a protected natural area in the state of Bahia of northeastern Brazil. The park is a transitional zone between ecosystems with the Atlantic forests toward one side of the park and the arid brush of the Caatinga at the other.
Understand
[edit]The park covers an area of over 12,000 hectares. It is adjacent to a wildlife refuge that covers an additional 15,000 hectares.
History
[edit]In 2006, authorities began studies of the environment in southern Bahia culminating in the creation of two adjacent protected areas: the Boa Nova Wildlife Refuge and the Boa Nova National Park. The park was created as part of the Brazilian national parks system in 2010.
Landscape
[edit]The park is hilly and rocky with low-lying thorny brush in areas and dense forest in others. Elevations range from 440 to 1,111 metres.
Flora and fauna
[edit]Birdwatchers will find a number of exotic and endemic bird species in the park, which has cataloged more than 430 species. Endemic bird species in the park include the endangered slender antbird (Rhopornis ardesiacus), Bahia spinetail (Synallaxis whitneyi) and Bahia tyrannulet (Phylloscartes beckeri).
Climate
[edit]Conditions vary by location in the park with the forests being moister and cooler and the Caatinga area being drier and warmer. Temperatures range from 14 to 26 degrees Celsius and average annual rainfall is 1,300 millimeters.
Get in
[edit]The town of Boa Nova is about 400 km from Salvador, the state capital and closest major airport. From Salvador, you can take a bus or rent a car and drive.
By bus
[edit]From the Rodoviaria Salvador, Camurujipe operates clean, modern buses to Boa Nova, departing roughly every 2 hours. The trip will take almost 7 hours and a ticket costs about US$20 each way.