Las Cabachuelas Nature Reserve

Las Cabachuelas Nature Reserve is an approximately 1,000-acre (400-hectare) reserve located in the Barahona ward of Morovis in Puerto Rico's northern karst zone, extending into the municipality of Ciales. Officially designated on February 29, 2012 through Law 129 signed by Governor Luis Fortuño, the area protects around 27 cave systems with at least 60 entrances, recognized for their natural, cultural, archaeological, hydrological, and geomorphological significance. The caves shelter eight documented bat species, including the Puerto Rican greater mustached bat (Pteronotus portoricensis), the Antillean fruit-eating bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum), and the fishing bat (Noctilio leporinus), several classified as critical elements by the DRNA. The area is a key recharge zone for the island's northern aquifers and is designated an Area of Importance for Bat Conservation (AICOM A-PR-006). Open to the public since February 2019, guided tours for groups of up to 15 people are coordinated through CABACOOP and the Diógenes Colón Gómez Cultural Center in Morovis.