Morrillito

Coordinates: 17°52′56″N 66°31′59″W / 17.88222°N 66.53306°W / 17.88222; -66.53306

Morrillito

Morrillito (Puerto Rico)
Geography
Location	Ponce, Puerto Rico
Coordinates	17°52′56″N 66°31′59″W / 17.88222°N 66.53306°W / 17.88222; -66.53306
Area	0.04 km2 (0.015 sq mi)
Country
United States
Commonwealth	Puerto Rico
Municipality	Ponce
Demographics
Population	0
Density	0 /km2 (0 /sq mi)

Morrillito is a small uninhabited island off the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The island is protected by the Reserva Natural Caja de Muertos natural reserve, because of its native turtle traffic.^[1] Together with Caja de Muertos, Gatas, Ratones, Cardona, Isla del Frio, and Isla de Jueyes, Morrillito is one of seven islands ascribed to the municipality of Ponce.^[2][3]

Location

The island, sometimes erroneously termed a cay (or, key), is located 8.4 km south of the Puerto Rican mainland and is part of Barrio Playa^[4][5] ward of the Ponce, Puerto Rico, municipality. It is located 180 meters off the southwest point of Caja de Muertos island and has an area of just 0.04 km². The island is connected to Caja de Muertos by a bank of shallow waters about 5.49 meters deep.^[6] It is located at latitude 17.88417 and longitude -66.53361.^[7] Its length is 0.5 kilometers northeast and southwest.^[8]

Geography and climate

The island is a small 31-foot flat-topped island located 200 yards off the southwestern tip of Caja de Muertos and, when viewed from a distance, Morrillito can easily be mistaken for the 170-ft steep hill (called Cerro Morrillo, Morrillo Hill) at the extreme southwestern portion of Caja de Muertos proper.^[9][10] The climate is dry and the island supports dry forest.

Natural reserve

Together with Caja de Muertos (1.54 km²) and Berberia Key (0.30 km²), Morrillito makes up the Caja de Muertos Natural Reserve. The island was designated as a nature reserve in 1980 after a meeting was held in Puerto Rico by the Puerto Rico Planning Board wherein they considered the recommendation set forth by the Coastal Management Zone Program to turn the island into a protected wilderness area. The island has remained a protected area ever since.^[11] The protection is mainly due to its heavy Hawksbill sea turtle traffic which is an endangered species.^[12]

References

1. ^ La Reserva Natural Isla Caja de Muertos. Hojas de Nuestro Ambiente. Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. Octubre 2006 - Rev. Julio 2009. P-009. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
2. ^ Neysa Rodriguez Deynes. Brevario Sobre la Historia de Ponce. Second Edition. Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. 2002. Page 9. Printed by Impress Quality Printing, Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
3. ^ CityMelt. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
4. ^ General Purpose Population Data, Census 2000. Unidad de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Área de Tecnología de Información Gubernamental, Oficina de Gerencia y Presupuesto. Gobierno de Puerto Rico. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
5. ^ US Census. 1930 Federal Census Team Transcription. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
6. ^ Isla Caja de Muerto Natural Reserve . Encyclopedia Puerto Rico. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
7. ^ Isla Morrillito. Get-a-Map.net. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
8. ^ West Indies Pilot, Volume 1. United States Hydrographic Office. Page 592. Fourth Edition: 1922.
9. ^ Booklet Chart: Isla Petrona to Isla Caja de Muertos. 25685 - NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
10. ^ Isla del Frio. Mapquest. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
11. ^ Puerto Rico.com: The Puerto Rico Channel. Visiting Caja de Muertos Island Nature Reserve.
12. ^ Isla Caja de Muerto Natural Reserve . Encyclopedia Puerto Rico. Retrieved 26 April 2011.

External links

• Natural Reserve, official page
• Morrillito at Panoramio

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