** We spent hours at this National Park in Cuba. The flamingos were very skittish and a bit of a distance away. It was awesome to see some of them flying. ***The Gran Parque Natural Montemar Biosphere Reserve houses the Ciénaga de Zapata National Park. The park forms a fundamental region of the Biosphere Reserve and the Ramsar site that share its name. The ecological fragility of the ecosystems has led to an intense effort toward conserving biodiversity and natural resources. The region was established as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2001, and it remains one of the Caribbean’s most untamed, least inhabited regions. With this in mind, it is not shocking that the Ciénaga de Zapata has gained worldwide renown as a birdwatching region. In this region only visitors can find the Cuban Bee Hummingbird, the world’s smallest bird. Along the numerous hikes throughout the park you can also find Cuba’s national bird, the Tocororo, or Cuban Trogan, as well as the Cuban Pygmy Owl and Cuban Parrot.***
