In the heart of Puerto Rico, on the Caribbean island, lies an extraordinary rainforest known as El Yunque (White Earth) National Forest. This unique ecosystem hides many fascinating and disturbing secrets that have attracted researchers, travelers and seekers of unusual phenomena for years.
The history of this place dates back to 1876, when King Alfonso XII of Spain declared 10,000 hectares of forested area in the Luquillo Mountains a forest reserve. It was an attempt to protect this extraordinary area from excessive exploitation. However, the fate of the forest was about to change when the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898. Although the conflict focused primarily on Cuba, its effects also had an impact on Puerto Rico, which, along with other Spanish possessions in the Caribbean, was taken over by the United States.
In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt created the Luquillo Forest Reserve in this area, and in the 1930s the American government expanded the forest area by another 20,234 hectares. It seemed that the National Fate of El Yunque was now under the care of the authorities and scientists. However, in 1939, the USDA Forest Service's Tropical Forest Experimental Station (later the International Institute of Tropical Forestry) was established on the island, which marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of this extraordinary place.
In 1940, the El Verde Research Station was completed and long-term research projects began in the "Lukillo Experimental Forest" - an odd name that raises many questions. Was this forest really just carrying out standard scientific research, or was something much more mysterious going on there?
Access to the forest is strictly controlled - special permits are required, and hiking is only allowed on foot and within designated boundaries. The visitor center is called "Portal", which seems to be an extremely apt and symbolic name.
Because it was in this forest, in a zone reserved for ordinary people, that there were supposed to be three interdimensional portals. The few daredevils who managed to return from this zone talked about encounters with unusual creatures - gargoyles. These mysterious creatures, although terrifying, did not harm anyone. On the contrary, people claimed that gargoyles were as afraid of humans as humans were of them.
Interestingly, traces of the presence of these mythical creatures can be found in the architecture of ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, Rome and Etruria. The oldest known gargoyle is 13,000 years old and was discovered in modern Turkey. It seems that in ancient times, gargoyles were not considered fictional creatures, but fully real beings.
It is also intriguing that gargoyles began to appear as decorations on religious buildings during the Christian era - which in itself seems quite unusual. Additionally, it is worth noting that Christopher Columbus, who reached Puerto Rico in 1492, claimed that the island was the southern tip of the Bermuda Triangle. Perhaps it was no coincidence that Americans showed so much interest in taking control of the "Portal Forest" in the early 20th century.
According to the accounts of those few who managed to return from the forbidden zone, these portals are not located in one specific place, but may appear in various rock formations, tree trunks or just above the ground. In this "exclusion zone" they were to encounter not only gargoyles, but also fairies, gigantic, luminous humanoids with wings resembling angels, as well as three-meter-high creatures that could change their size, taking the form of small gnomes.
In addition, this unusual forest was also said to contain "shadow people", mermaids and other strange phenomena such as acoustic and geomagnetic anomalies. All this makes the El Yunque National Forest a place full of unusual and disturbing secrets, attracting researchers, adventurers and lovers of supernatural phenomena.
Many people who decided to cross the borders of the forbidden zone never returned. It is said that this is because those who enter the portal between worlds should not eat or drink anything in the alien dimension, otherwise they will not be able to return to their home world. Apparently, not everyone was aware of these ancient myths and legends and recklessly crossed the borders, not knowing the consequences of their actions. Some of them could also stay in this zone voluntarily.
Despite many disturbing stories and mysterious disappearances, gargoyles and other unusual creatures did not harm anyone. On the contrary - people who managed to meet them claimed that these creatures were as afraid of people as people were of them. On one occasion, two gargoyles were even observed stopping their fight at the sight of a group of people and quickly flying away.
El Yunque National Forest remains a place full of fascinating and disturbing mysteries, attracting researchers, travelers and seekers of unusual phenomena. Its history dates back over 140 years, and subsequent discoveries and witness accounts continue to provide new, intriguing threads. Perhaps one day it will be possible to unravel at least some of the secrets hidden in this extraordinary tropical forest.
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