West Point

Sasarawichi sand dunes
The Tera Cora area has xeric landscapes and mudflats which transform yearly into a seasonal wetland. The name Tera Cora translates to Red Sand and refers to the icon red soil which covers the entire expanse.
The roughed northwestern tip of Aruba.
West Point and Arashi beach

West Point

  • Country: 
    Netherlands (Kingdom of the) (Aruba)
  • Site number: 
    2527
  • Area: 
    2,185 ha
  • Designation date: 
    10-11-2023
  • Coordinates: 
    12°36'N 70°03'W
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Overview

This mainly marine Site is comprised of varying habitats: beaches, sand dunes, limestone terraces, seasonal marshes and pools, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and shallow and deeper marine waters. The beaches are nesting grounds for four species of sea turtle (leatherback, hawksbill, loggerhead and green turtles) while the limestone terraces are breeding grounds for the migratory least tern (Sternula antillarum). The waters of West Point contain relatively large patches of the critically endangered elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) while the turtlegrass beds provide nursing and feeding grounds for many marine organisms including the queen conch (Lobatus gigas) and parrotfish species. The two main land areas are the Sasarawichi sand dunes and Tera Cora, which features arid landscapes and mudflats which annually transform into a seasonal wetland. They are among the few remaining natural habitats for numerous locally endangered and protected species such as the crested bobwhite (Colinus cristatus), the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), the Aruba island rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus unicolor), the eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) and Hummelinck’s vesper mouse (Calomys hummelincki). When Tera Cora floods, it becomes an important stopover site for many foraging migratory bird species. The Site is heavily used for recreation and tourism activities, which poses a threat to its ecological character. A scientific assessment of the shallow water reefs was carried out in 2019, while a management plan was being prepared as of 2023.

Administrative region: 
Caribbean Island of Aruba, which is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

  • National legal designation: 
    • Protected nature area - Sasarawichi
  • Last publication date: 
    10-11-2023

Downloads

Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)