Área Natural Protegida Laguna del Jocotal is a continental wetland formed by two permanent freshwater lagoons, Laguna del Jocotal and Laguna de San Juan.  The Site is a biodiversity hotspot with 151 plant species including the big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), Spanish cedar (Cedrela odorata) and Bravaisia integerrima, a tree of the Acanthus family which is listed as nationally endangered. It also supports hundreds of animal species, including 21 species of fish such as the endemic black robalo (Centropomus nigrescens), 252 bird species, 43 mammals, 13 amphibians, and 33 reptiles. Among the fauna found on the Site, there are endangered species included in the IUCN Red List such as the Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), the yellow-naped amazon (Amazona auropalliata) and the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). The Site is one of the best examples of a freshwater-flooded ecosystem in the Central American Pacific and provides different ecosystem services including flood control and water purification, as well as food for local communities. Among the main threats are the reduction of the water level in Laguna de Jocotal due to inadequate management, pollution from waste and sediments, and uncontrolled fishing, hunting and livestock farming.