El Yunque National Forest, << ehl YOONG kay, >> is a tropical rain forest on the island of Puerto Rico. It is the only tropical rain forest in the United States National Forest System. El Yunque covers about 44 square miles (114 square kilometers) in northeastern Puerto Rico. The forest is notable for its great diversity of animal and plant life. Many people visit El Yunque to camp, fish, hike, swim, and enjoy the natural beauty of the forest.
Most of El Yunque National Forest lies in the Sierra de Luquillo mountain range. The highest peaks in this range include El Toro, at 3,524 feet (1,074 meters), and El Yunque, at 3,494 feet (1,065 meters). Northeast trade winds carry large amounts of moisture to the forest, which receives heavy rainfall. El Yunque has many creeks, streams, rivers, waterfalls, and natural pools created by cascading water. The two most visited waterfalls are La Coca and La Mina falls. The temperature of El Yunque, which changes little, averages 73 °F (21 °C).
Animals living in El Yunque include numerous species of small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and aquatic and land invertebrates (animals without a backbone). Some of these species, including the endangered Puerto Rican parrot, are found only in the forest. El Yunque has more than a dozen species of small tree frogs called coquis. Male coquis have a loud, two-note call that sounds like “koh-kee.” Native plants in El Yunque include a wide variety of tree, fern, and orchid species.
In 1876, King Alfonso XII of Spain made part of what is now El Yunque a forest reserve. At that time, Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony. In 1903, a few years after the United States had taken possession of the island, the forest was reestablished as Luquillo Forest Reserve. It was renamed the Luquillo National Forest in 1907, and the Caribbean National Forest in 1935. The forest received its current name in 2007.
