The Jaú National Park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional do Jaú) is a national park in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. It is one of the largest forest reserves in South America and is part of a World Heritage Site.

Location

The name "Jaú" comes from the gilded catfish, also called the jau (Zungaro zungaro), which is one of the largest fish in Brazil. The main river in the park is named after this fish. The park is located in the Amazon biome, within the Japurá-Solimões-Negro moist forests ecoregion. It covers an area of 2,367,333 hectares (5,849,810 acres). It was established by government order 85.200 on September 24, 1980. The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation manages the park. It includes parts of the municipalities of Barcelos, Codajás, and Novo Airão in the state of Amazonas.

The park is one of the largest protected areas in Brazil. It is about 220 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of Manaus and includes the entire Jaú River basin, which lies between the Unini River to the north and the Carabinani River to the south. All three rivers flow east to join the right bank of the Rio Negro. The eastern part of the park is next to the Rio Unini Extractive Reserve, which is on the opposite side of the Unini River. To the northwest, the park borders the Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve. To the east, near the Rio Negro, the park is next to the Rio Negro State Park North Section to the south.

Environment

The park's land is part of the Negro-Solimões interfluvial plateau. It has two main areas: the higher Trombetas/Negro plateau and the lower western Amazon plateau. The higher area has hills with flat tops that reach 150 to 200 meters (490 to 660 feet), with valleys cutting through them. The lower area is about 100 meters (330 feet) high. Large areas of land flood seasonally and have poor drainage, and there are some lakes that remain full all year. The average yearly rainfall is more than 2,500 millimeters (98 inches), with the wettest months being March and September. These months receive the most sunlight, causing the most rainfall from heat. Temperatures range from 22 to 32 degrees Celsius (72 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit), with an average of 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit).

The vegetation includes dense rainforest (77%), open rainforest (14%), areas changing from rainforest to campinarana (7%), and campinarana (2%). Scientists have identified about 400 plant species, some of which are found only in specific places, such as high ground or flooded areas. A total of 263 fish species have been recorded, and some are newly discovered.

Conservation

Jaú National Park is a type of protected area called a national park. Its goal is to protect an Amazonian black water ecosystem for environmental education, working with local communities, supporting sustainable tourism, and helping with research. The park is a large protected area and a World Heritage Site, meant to be preserved for people today and in the future. Animals protected in the park include the margay (Leopardus wiedii), jaguar (Panthera onca), giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), and Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis).

Jaú National Park was added to the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 2000. It became part of the Central Amazon Ecological Corridor in 2002. In 2003, the area was expanded by adding Anavilhanas National Park, Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve, and Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve to create the Central Amazon Conservation Complex, a larger World Heritage Site. The park was later included in the Lower Rio Negro Mosaic, created in 2010. The conservation area is supported by the Amazon Region Protected Areas Program.

• Flooded forest
• Sunrise over waterway
• Vegetation
• Castanheira trees with ropes for tourists to climb