http://www.solentiname.org

National Archipelago Monument of Solentiname

The archipelago of Solentiname is located in the southern end of Lake Nicaragua, also known as Lake Cocibolca. It is considered a very special natural conservation area. The islands have a large, diverse ecosystem of tropical flora and fauna. The area covered is 18,930 hectares, equivalent to 36 square kilometers. The area is made up of 36 islands which contain both dry forest and rain forest. The Solentiname reserve is considered the most beautiful in Nicaragua because of it's rich ecology including climate, rainfall and a diverse make up of plants and animals.

Solentiname is 36 wilderness islands in one of the most remote parts of the giant Lake Nicaragua. These rustic pearls have no roads, cars, telephones or electricity and a total population less than 800 people. What makes these islands so special is their immense silence, the peace of their beauty. They are also home to sustenance farmers who have learned to paint and carve nature scenes that their daily lives are immersed in. The archipelago has great bird life and is the best jumping off point to visit the pristine Los Guatuzos Wildlife Refuge, home to more than 380 species of birds, monkeys, crocodiles, turtles, sloths, iguanas and the Jesus Christ lizard. This mini-safari uses small motorboat to explore the islands and the jungle river canals of the Los Guatuzos nature reserve. This excursion is great wildlife viewing for those who are short on time. A nature escape from the harsh realities of the modern world to a wilderness thankfully yet undiscovered by most and a place of great beauty.

On Isla Zapote there exist 22 species of birds. The sun setting around “Bird Island” is an incredible site to behold. As the sky turns deep shades of pink and blue, birds fill the sky, flocking to their nests after a long day of fishing. Black Patos Chanchos (Phalacrocorax olivaceus) infest the fragile branches of trees along the island’s rocky shores, while droves of white Guairones (Mycteria americana) huddle together on the smaller shrubs in the interior. Pale pink Espátulas Rosadas (Ajaia ajaja) find places to congregate amongst the others, their pale rose-colored feathers at first a seeming illusion in the rosy light of sundown.

There is a pretty big cayman —locally known as cuajipales— population in Solentiname. Mostly obvious at nighttime, (with the help of a flashlight), their red little eyes shine in beautiful moonlit nights. These scaly beasts share the lake’s waters with different varieties of turtles, among them, Tortugas Ñocas (Trachemys scripta) and la Pecho-Quebrado (Kinosternon sp). It is also not uncommon to see green and black iguanas sunning themselves on the tree branches near the great lake. And giant boa constrictors wrap themselves around the trees that grow deep within the islands’ forests.

La Isla del Padre hosts a large colony of Monos Congos (Howler Monkeys). White-tailed deer, Cusucos (Dasypus novecintus) and Guatusas (Dasyprota puntata) make up the majority of the mammal species that can be found in the archipelago.

Deep in “El Mar Dulce”— “The Sweet Sea”, as the Spanish conquistadors dubbed Lake Nicaragua— swim the prehistoric-looking Gaspar (Lepisosteus tropicus) along side freshwater species such as bass, and saltwater fish such as swordfish and sawfish. Sharks were once abundant in the lake waters near Solentiname but excessive fishing has extinguished them from the area.