Los Colorados Archipelago (Spanish: Archipiélago de los Colorados, also called Archipiélago de Santa Isabel and Archipiélago de Guaniguanico) is a chain of isles and cays on Cuba's north-western coast.[1] A coral reef extending at least the length of the archipelago separates it from the Gulf of Mexico.[1][2]
Geography
The archipelago is approximately 100 kilometres (62mi)[3][4] long and is composed of 160[5] small cays, including Cayo Levisa, Cayo Arenas, Cayo Jutias, Punta Tabaco, Cabezo Seco, Cayo Paraiso, Cayo Buenavista, Banco Sancho Pardo, Cayo Rapado Grande, and Cayo Alacranes. It is located off the northern coast of Pinar del Río Province,[6] facing the Gulf of Mexico, between Honda Bay (north of the community of Bahia Honda) and Cape San Antonio on the Guanahacabibes Peninsula.[2] It is divided into two sections: western and east.[2]
A barrier coral reef to its north, 120 miles (190km) long, extends the entire length of the archipelago, separating it from the Gulf of Mexico.[1] The channel between the two is navigable throughout.[1]
Reef
The reef covers an area of 165 square kilometres (64sqmi).[2] It is relatively healthy due to its isolated location and the low population of coastal communities.[7]
Stephanocoenia intersepta is the most abundant coral species, which is not the case of any other known Cuban reef.[7]
Tourism is also developing on cays such as Cayo Levisa, where white sand beaches, snorkeling and diving sites attract tourists.[8]
Conservation
In 2022, Cuba made the Este del Archipiélago de Los Colorados (East Los Colorados Archipelago) a Marine Protected Area (MPA), 291 square miles (750km2) "of vibrant mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and climate-resilient corals - plus spawning sites for several economically important species of groupers and mutton, cubera, and gray snappers",[5] as well as the endangered hawksbill sea turtle.[4] Fishing is prohibited in a section of the MPA called the Corona San Carlos Wildlife Refuge, with an area of 272 square kilometres (105sqmi).[4][5]
