is more commonly documented, so the rest of the region needs more thorough exploration. Flora and fauna The reserve contains part of the largest surviving area of undisturbed tropical rainforest in Honduras and one of the few remaining in Central America, with numerous endangered species. Although there is a growing amount of research available on the biodiversity within the reserve, the current management plans emphasize the need for more research on the flora and fauna of the region. Flora The major ecosystems include mangrove and freshwater swamps and marshes, sedge prairie, pine savanna, and gallery forest. There is a diverse amount of flora, estimated at over 2,000 species of vascular plants, although little has been written about it because many species are new or undiscovered. There are two major mangrove ecosystems along the coast: the Brus Lagoon and the Iban Lagoon. The Brus area is 120 km2 and brackish, and the Ibans area is 63 km2 and freshwater. The mangroves are valuable and fragile, so they are a significant part of the value of the reserve. Further in, the land becomes prairie and savannah with pine and palm, depending upon the availability of water. Along the watershed of the rivers, the vegetation is thick wet forest, which is again, poorly studied. Fauna The documented fauna of the region includes 39 species of mammals, 377 species of birds and 126 species of reptiles and amphibians. The region is rich with birds, including the king vulture, harpy eagle, great curassow, crested guan, scarlet macaw, green macaw and military macaw. The representative species include white-headed capuchin, mantled howler and spider monkeys, brown-throated sloth, paca, kinkajou, coatimundi tayra, Central American otter, puma, collared peccary, white-lipped peccary and red brocket. Rare and endangered species The rare or endangered species: giant anteater, jaguar, ocelot, margay, Caribbean West Indian manatee, and Central American tapir. The amount of environmental education that exists in Honduras is minimal, so it is difficult to protect these endangered species. The widespread poverty and lack of accurate research on the ecosystems makes protection increasingly difficult. While the conservation programs are reaching their goals, it is difficult to tell whether or not the management plans are successfully protecting these species directly. Protecting the ecosystems, like the rainforest, upon which the endangered species depend serves as an important indirect benefit. Tourism The high density of wildlife along La Mosquitia coast makes it a popular destination