Saguaro National Park
| Saguaro National Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Saguaro cacti
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| Location | Pima County, Arizona, United States |
| Nearest city | Tucson |
| Coordinates | 32°15′0″N 110°30′0″W / 32.25000°N 110.50000°WCoordinates: 32°15′0″N 110°30′0″W / 32.25000°N 110.50000°W |
| Area | 91,442 acres (37,005 ha) |
| Established | October 14, 1994 |
| Visitors | 820,426 (in 2016) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Saguaro National Park |
Saguaro National Park is located in southern Arizona on the outskirts of Tucson and is a part of the United States National Park System. The park preserves the desert landscape, fauna and flora contained within two park sections, one east and the other west of Tucson. The park was established to protect its namesake—the giant saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea). Saguaro in this park are near the northernmost limit of their natural survival zone within the Sonoran Desert.
The park is divided into two sections, called districts, lying approximately 20 miles (32 km) east and 15 miles (24 km) west of the center of the city of Tucson, Arizona. The total area in 2011 was 91,442 acres (37,005 ha) of which 70,905 acres (28,694 ha) is designated wilderness. There is a visitor center in each of the two districts. Both are easily reached by car from Tucson, but there is no public transport into the park. Both districts conserve fine tracts of the Sonoran Desert, including ranges of significant hills, the Tucson Mountains in the west and the Rincon Mountains in the east.
The park gets its name from the saguaro, a large cactus which is native to the region. Many other kinds of cactus, including barrel, cholla, and prickly pear, are abundant in the park. One endangered animal, the lesser long-nosed bat, lives in the park part of the year during its migration, together with one threatened species, the Mexican spotted owl.
Saguaro National Monument was created on March 1, 1933 by President Herbert Hoover. On October 14, 1994, Congress elevated the monument to National Park status.
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Wikipedia