Mona, Puerto Rico
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Mona (Isla de Mona, in Spanish) is an island of the archipelago of Puerto Rico located in the Mona Passage, a strait between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Mona has an area of 40 km2 and is located 80 km away from the main island of Puerto Rico. It is uninhabited and is mainly used as an ecological park. The island is a barrio of the municipality of Mayagüez, together with Monito Island 5 km northwest, and Desecheo Island, 40 km to the northeast. The total land area of all islands in the barrio is about 56.93 km² [link] and it comprises 28.3 percent of the land area of the municipality of Mayagüez.
The island is mainly flat and is composed of dolomite and limestone. Various caves are found in the limestone. Its climate is arid. Many endemic species live on the island, such as the Mona Ground Iguana. The island has been used for guano mining.
History
Mona Island is believed to have been originally settled by Arawak Indians that arrived from Hispaniola. During the mid 1980s, archeologists visiting Mona island discovered some pre-ceramic objects at the island which helps to confirm this belief. Afterwards and until the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493 Taínos occupied the island.Discovery and Early History
Columbus discovered Puerto Rico, while on his second voyage, in 1493. As he left Puerto Rico in search of other lands Columbus' ship almost sank as he passed close to the island of Mona. Some Taínos who were traveling back to the Puerto Rican mainland saw the troubled ship and helped rescue Columbus and the rest of his group of travelers. The Taínos call the island Ámona as this was the name of their Cacique or chief.In 1502, fray Nicolas de Ovando was sent to Isla Mona to keep an eye, from a safe distance, on the revolts happening in Hispaniola and he brought over 2,000 men from Spain to settle the island. Because of the small size of the island and the relatively large population of both Spanish and Taínos, food became scarce. Hispaniola, being in the middle of a civil war, could not provide food to the island leaving Spain and the Canary Islands as the main sources of food for Isla Mona. However, it would take very long for food to get to Isla Mona from these places, so the Spaniards also made food suppliers out of their new possessions of San Juan de Borinquen (Puerto Rico), St. Croix, Saona and Catalina. Puerto Rico's first governor, Vicente Yañez Pinzón was the first appointed governor of Puerto Rico but he never arrived to the island Juan Ponce de Leon, later overtook control of the food supplying to the area.
In 1508, as de Leon launched his campaign to conquer Puerto Rico, he traveled to Isla Mona several times, to get bread and clothing made by the Indians. Later on, he would send more Taínos to be established there, and ask the governor to send him more food to Puerto Rico.
Isla Mona was a place rich in food, textures and other items, so, when Diego Colon arrived in 1509, he became interested in possession of the island. This caused a bitter rivalry between him and king Fernando of Spain. By then, Isla Mona was an important point of trade between Spain and the rest of Latin America, as well as a rest stop for boat crews carrying slaves.
By 1514, king Fernando wanted Isla Mona to become his private vacation home. From there, he supposed, he could send goods to Puerto Rican Indians. Finally, he was able to overtake the island from Diego Colon, and, by 1515, Isla Mona was his.
King Fernando gave the resident Indians two options;: they could either work fishing, making hammocks and cultivating plants, or they could be miners. Most Indians chose the former. That way, they were exempt from tax paying, and they avoided that hard labor miners suffered. Indians from various other Spanish possessions were brought over to bring help.
When king Fernando died in 1516, ownership of the island passed on to Cardenal Cisneros, and, in 1520, to Francisco de Barrionuevo.
By 1524, Alonso Manso, bishop of Puerto Rico, had become interest in gaining personal wealth, and he accused Barrionuevo, among others, of various criminal charges before the Spanish justice system of the time. Because of this situation, Barrionuevo took off to South America, taking many Indians with him, and leaving the island almost deserted.
By 1522, ships from other countries began to arrive at Isla Mona to replenish supplies for their travels. They also attacked Spanish ships, and by 1543, Spaniards had been run out of the island.
In 1561, during an audience held at Santo Domingo, it was recommended that Isla Mona become a part of that colony of which occupied the eastern half of Hispaniola. Their reasoning was that the island is far closer to Santo Domingo (presently the Dominican Republic) than it is to Puerto Rico, and had a small population which could help the colony's economy in overall agricultural production.
In 1567, a French ship arrived, burning part of the island's population. The Indians fought back, killing eight Frenchmen and sinking a ship, but the loss of Indians was so vast that the Dominican Republic eventually lost its interest in the island, because humans had all but disappeared from the island after the battle with the French, which would have resulted in the Republic having a harder time in making the area economically viable.
In 1583, the Spanish archbishop who was established in Puerto Rico got royal permission to bring Christianity to Isla Mona. In 1595, the famed Englishman, James Lancaster, stopped by the island for rest.
By the 1600s, most Indians remaining in the island had fled to mainland Puerto Rico.
20th Century
In 1900, the Mona Island Lighthouse began operations. The lighthouse was designed by Gustave Eiffel. It remained in continuous operations until its decomissioning in 1976 being replaced by a newer laser lighthouse.
In December 22 1919 it was declared Insular Forest of Puerto Rico, under the authority of the Forest Law (law #22). During 1945 to 1955 Mona island was leased to the US Air Force as military exercise area. After 1941 the island has been used for hunting and for camping.
from 1960 to the present, the island have a small ranger post from the Puerto Rico Deparment Of Natural Resources.
In recent years, the island has become a major drop-off point for many Dominicans, Cubans, Chinese,Filipinos and even North Koreans trying to reach Puerto Rico. As a U.S. Commonwealth, Puerto Rico is a stepping stone to the United States for many of these immigrants. With the exceptions of Cubans who are allowed to stay in the United States due to that country's wet feet/dry feet policy all other illegal immigrants are usually deported immediately.
Mona Island Today
Currently, the island serves as vacation spot and natural ecological laboratory for various prestigious universities around the world. Various endangered species like the Mona Ground Iguana (Cyclura cornuta stejnegeri) offer a unique experience to visitors.
An FAA-certified airport that accepts small aircraft was built by the Puerto Rico Government. The United States Coast Guard is able to provide transportation with helicopters flights from Eugenio Maria de Hostos Airport in Mayaguez, to help with medicines and first aid equipment; they also fly whenever an emergency requiring hospitalization occurs. Private and commercial planes need a special permit to use the airport facilities.
The most common form of transportation is private yachts, however commercial transportation is available from the Cabo Rojo for small groups (10-12 persons).
The island is under protection of the Puerto Rico Natural Resources Deparment (DNRA). A permanent ranger post is located on Playa Sardinera area. Camping, hunting and ecological trips are permitted on the island with a written permit and a small fee from the DNRA Forest Division.
Hunting is allowed one time a year to control non-endemic species (goats, pigs and wild cats) because they represent a threat to various endangered species. The island has the hunting season begin in December and ending in April. Camping is allowed from May through November. It is also a popular spot to visit for Puerto Rican Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
Modern tragedies
Many modern tragedies involving travelers, both legal and illegal, have happened in or close to Isla Mona. Here is a partial list of some of the most famous modern tragedies there:
- In 1989, a ship carrying more than 300 illegal Dominican immigrants sank near Isla Mona. After surveying the area, the U.S. Coast Guard determined that there were no survivors.
- In 2002, a teenager was lost during a Boy Scout expedition on the island. His body was found a few days later. It was determined that he died of severe dehydration.
- In January, 2004, a psychologist became disoriented and found himself lost during a sightseeing trip to the southern part of the island. His body was recovered several days later. Dehydration also played a role in his demise.
Topography
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Footnotes
External links
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