Punta Petrona Natural Reserve

Punta Petrona Natural Reserve is a protected coastal area in Santa Isabel on Puerto Rico’s south coast, where a cape extends into the Caribbean Sea between Rincón Bay and the bight of Caja de Muertos. Part of Aguirre State Forest and accessible by private boat from Jauca and El Malecón, it includes mangrove forest, coral reef habitat, and small offshore cays such as Cayos Caracoles, Cayos Cabezazos, and Cayo Alfeñique. The waters support West Indian manatees and the reef also attracts sea turtles, giving the reserve notable ecological importance. In 2018, concern arose that it lacked proper state management and classification regulations despite its protected status.

Puerto Rico · United States