The flora and fauna of the Pacific region of Colombia is tropical, as is its climate. It is located in the west of the country and borders the Pacific Ocean and Panama. It is considered one of the most diverse areas in the world.
The number of plant species in the region is estimated at 35,000, including different variants of the mangrove, given its proximity to the sea.
The fauna does not include many large specimens; on the contrary, it is the habitat of many small reptiles and amphibians, as well as small or medium-sized mammals.
It is an extremely humid area, considered one of the rainiest in the world. In the Lloró municipality, located in the department of Chocó, almost 5000 millimeters of rain are received annually.
Flora
The enormous number of rivers and streams that cross the ecosystems, together with the proximity to salt water, have fostered the appearance of up to four species of mangrove: red, black, white and piñuelo, the latter being the most abundant.
Despite its high humidity, the soil is warm and with a high concentration of sediment. Apart from the mangrove, some of the most found plants are the fern, the palm tree, the bromeliad, the big-leaf mahogany, the fresco and the broccoli.
Bigleaf mahogany is currently a threatened plant species due to the destruction of its habitat.
Fauna
Despite its biodiversity, many of the animal species in the Pacific region are in danger of disappearing.
For decades the fauna of the area has been the food for nearby populations, which has caused the number of specimens to drop dramatically.
This applies especially to land animals. In rivers and on the coast the situation is different (except in the case of turtles): fish, crustaceans, mollusks and aquatic mammals are very abundant.
Shrimp, crabs, sperm whales, humpback whales, sharks and crappies make up the marine ecosystem of things close to the Pacific region of Colombia.
However, a seriously threatened marine species is the hawksbill turtle, actively sought after by locals for its meat and eggs.
Among the most important terrestrial animals are the jaguar, the freshwater caiman, the tiger, the sloth, the giant anteater, the wild boar, the marmoset, various species of foxes, the harpy eagle, and many small amphibians and arachnids.
Two highly toxic amphibian species inhabit the Pacific region of Colombia: the dendrobates frog and the poison golden frog, the latter considered the most poisonous vertebrate in the world.
National Parks
Due to the large number of species of flora and fauna in danger of disappearing, eight national parks have been established for the conservation of biodiversity in the Colombian Pacific. These are:
- Ensenada de Utría National Natural Park.
- Gorgona National Natural Park.
- Tatamá National Natural Park.
- Sanquianga National Natural Park.
- Los Katíos National Natural Park.
- Uramba Bahía Málaga National Natural Park.
- Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary.
- La Manigua Botanical Garden.
References
- Pacific region (sf). Retrieved on October 18, 2017, from Fauna Salvaje.
- Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary (sf). Retrieved on October 18, 2017, from National Parks.
- Flora Region the Pacific (sf). Retrieved on October 18, 2017, from Unidos por Colombia.
- Pacific Region (sf). Retrieved on October 18, 2017, from Colombia.
- Colombian Pacific (sf). Retrieved on October 18, 2017, from Banco Cultural de la República.
- Eretmochelys imbricata (nd). Retrieved on October 18, 2017, from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.