Parque Nacional Anacaona was established by Decree 571-09 under IUCN Category II (National Park), with the aim of protecting the virgin forests of the eastern Sierra de Neyba, as well as the faults, canyons, and meanders that resulted from geological shifts that altered the course of the Yaque del Sur River.

[3] The region's geological history includes significant fault lines and land shifts that altered the course of the Yaque del Sur River redirecting its outflow from Azua to its current drainage in near Barahona.

[5] The park’s varied topography, spanning from lowland dry forests to montane humid ecosystems, creates sharp environmental gradients that drive species differentiation and niche specialization.

At higher elevations, increased precipitation sustains mesic species like Ocotea coriacea and Clusia rosea, forming a stratified plant community shaped by temperature and moisture gradients.

Anoles, including Anolis distichus, A. brevirostris, A. aridius, A. saxatilis, A. semilineatus, and A. olssoni, exhibit microhabitat partitioning, with their distribution patterns influenced by perch selection and thermoregulation requirements.

[5] Anthropogenic influence on the park is manifested in the form of introduced species like Sus scrofa (feral pig), Capra hircus (creole goat), and illegal wood harvesting.