FLORA AND FAUNA OF THE ORINOQUÍA REGION - BIOLOGY - 2025

The flora and fauna of the Orinoquía region of Colombia are characterized by their diversity of ecosystems and species, since it contains jungles, savannas, moors and a multiplicity of wild animals made up of fish, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

There are about 258 fish species; also deer, chigüires, monkeys, corocoras and macaws. As well as tigers and snakes like the anaconda and the boa constrictor, the Orinoco caiman, turtles and amphibians.

In the jungle and the humid forest, tall trees, woody vines and epiphytes abound, that is, plants called parasitic plants that live inside others such as orchids.

Also the low vegetation (grove forest) and dense, and more than 200 species of grasses in its extensive plains.

Flora

Yellow Guayacan (tabebuia chrysanta)

This tree, also known by the names of yellow oak, yellow flower or araguaney, is native to tropophilic forests.

It is abundant in dry forests, on the edges of savannas and in valleys, especially in the department of Arauca. It is medium in size and is distinguished by its lush yellow flowering.

Ceibas (ceiba petandra)

This species grows in dry areas and on the banks of rivers and floodplain alluvial areas of the plains. It reaches between 30 and 50 meters in height with a diameter of up to 3 meters.

Epiphytes

These plants are called parasitic, but they are not, they grow on other plants to obtain light, water and support. It lives in the Andean forests of the region. They understand the varieties of orchids.

Grasses

In the Colombian plains it is considered that there are about 200 species of grasses or pastures that serve as forage to feed the cattle in this area.

Moriche palm trees

This is another species characteristic of the savannas of the Orinoquía region. Mauritia flexuosa is a palm tree that belongs to the Arecaceae family.

Fauna

Fishes

In this region, 258 fish species have been recorded in its rivers and lagoons, but there are many more.

In addition to the ornamental fish, there are the shaker fish, the caribbean or piranha, the peacock bass, the payara, the cachama, the gamitana and the guabina.

Deer

In this region you can find the white-tailed savanna deer, which lives in the savannas and estuaries of the eastern Colombian plain, and the mazama, which lives in the Andean area.

Chigüire

It is the largest rodent in the world.

It lives in ponds and lagoons in the plains. Its meat is part of the typical dishes of this region.

Red corocora

It is a species of pelecaniform bird, also known by the names of the red heron, scarlet ibis, red corocoro, guará or cider.

Araguato or cotudo monkey

The red howler or red howler monkey is characterized by its reddish color, a bare black face and a fur on its face that ends in a beard. Lives in the Colombian Andes.

Macaws

These colorful birds inhabit forests and plains near rivers. They have a long tail and a strong beak

Tiger (panthera onca)

This jaguar is the largest feline in America.

It lives in the jungle areas and plains and together with the caiman it is the largest predator in the region.

Snakes

There are three characteristic species of the region: the anaconda or black guide, the four nostrils and the boa constrictor.

Orinoco Cayman

It is characterized by its narrow and long muzzle, without prominent bony protrusions. It lives in ponds and rivers.

The region is also abundant with slime and turtles, as well as several species of toads and frogs, especially the species Leptodaptylus.

References

1. Thomas R. Defler. The Fauna of the Orinoquia. Imani, National University of Colombia - Fundación Natura José Vicente Rodríguez, Conservation International of Colombia. Recovered from banrepcultural.org
2. National natural parks of Colombia. Consulted on October 23 from parquenacionales.gov.co
3. Orinoquía region. froac.manizales.unal.edu.co
4. Ceiba pentandra. Consulted of biological resources.eia.edu.co
5. On Epiphytes in the Andean Forests. Consulted of epifitasbosqueandino.wordpress.com
6. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Consulted of venadopedia.com
7. Fauna of the Regions of Colombia. Consulted on October 23 from faunadelasregionesdecolombia.blogspot.com