Furna Feia National Park, National park in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Furna Feia National Park is a protected area in Rio Grande do Norte featuring limestone caves and mineral deposits scattered across semi-arid terrain. The park covers land within the Caatinga biome, a dry forest ecosystem adapted to low rainfall and high temperatures.
Created by decree on 5 June 2012, Furna Feia became the first national park in Rio Grande do Norte. Its establishment was delayed by limestone mining for cement; as a compromise, 700 hectares with mining claims were excluded. President Dilma Rousseff announced the park on World Environment Day.
The national park maintains connections with regional communities through an advisory council that incorporates local knowledge into conservation decisions.
The park is not yet open to visitors: its management plan, land regularization and a visitor support structure are still pending. Access to the caves, especially the main one, is restricted because destructive visits damage them. ICMBio, which administers the park, has set up a fire brigade to prevent forest fires in the unit.
Eleven species of troglobite invertebrates have been found in the park's caves, all of them new to science. The main cave, Furna Feia, runs 766 metres and gives the park its name, which means "Ugly Cavern".
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