Gorriti Island

Gorriti Island (Spanish: Isla Gorriti) is a small island near the shores of Punta del Este, Uruguay.^[1]

History

Discovered in 1516 by Juan Díaz de Solís,^[2] it was settled from the 18th century, when in the face of Portuguese influence it was of some military significance, and abandoned cannons are still left.

Gorriti Island forms part of the Maldonado Department.

Declared a National Heritage

Along with Isla de Lobos, the island has been declared to be a National Heritage, attracting tourists on beaches annually.^[1] Surrounding waters are rich in wildlife both for permanently and seasonally, including southern right whales,^[3]^[4] southern elephant seals^[5] and orcas chasing tunas^[6] or South American sea lions and South American fur seals breed on Isla de Lobos.

References

^ ^a ^b Isla Gorriti (in Spanish)
^ Gorriti Island, past and present Archived 2016-07-14 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
^ Chocó contra una ballena en la Isla Gorriti
^ COMIENZAN A LLEGAR LAS BALLENAS A URUGUAY
^ Seis orcas se pasean por las aguas de Punta del Este
^ ¡Invasión!: ahora vieron una orca en la costa de Punta del Este