Central Suriname Nature Reserve, Suriname

This reserve is a virgin tropical forest located in the centre of the southern part of the state of Suriname, and it has a core protected area of 16,000 km². The heritage area is along the upper reaches of the Corpaneur River and is the source of many other rivers, such as Lucie, Oost, Zuid, Saramaccz and Gran Rio. It includes a wide range of landform types and ecosystems that are valuable for nature conservation. The mountain forests and lowland forests have a unique diversity of plant life. To date, only 5,000 species of vascular plants have been identified. The animals include jaguars, giant buzzards, giant river otters, dragonflies, eight species of primates, and 400 species of birds, including American short-winged eagles, flying crown birds and macaws.