- Main natural monuments of Venezuela
- 1- Tepuyes Formation Natural Monument
- 2- Henry Pittier Park
- 3- El Ávila National Park
- 6- El Guácharo National Park
- References
The main natural heritages of Venezuela are among the 43 parks and 36 national monuments decreed in that country. They include mountains, snow-capped peaks, tepuis, beaches, deserts, and mangroves.
They represent a great interest for scientists, historians, sociologists and ecologists, due to the beauty of their landscapes and the great biodiversity they harbor. The naturist and geographer Alexander Von Humboldt referenced much of Venezuela's natural heritage in his writings.
The Venezuelan geography, which is made up of mountains, a great valley that houses great plains, and the Caribbean coast, contains in a scattered way the enormous natural wealth that gives life to various ecosystems.
In many places, the beauty of the landscape, the ecological wealth and the archaeological value converge, due to the fact that a large part of these were centers of worship of ancient indigenous inhabitants.
Venezuela's natural monuments, as well as national parks, are protected by the Ministry for Ecosocialism and Waters.
Main natural monuments of Venezuela
1- Tepuyes Formation Natural Monument
Tepuis are rock formations with flat peaks and vertical escarpments, which concentrate a vast expanse of forests. They are found mainly in the states of Amazonas and Bolívar, and in total they total 1,069,820 hectares.
In the Bolívar state it is possible to appreciate twelve tepui formations, among which are the Roraima Tepuy, with 2810 meters of altitude; the Uei Tepuy, with 2,150 meters of altitude; the Kukenan Tepuy, with 2,650 meters; and the Karaurín Tepuy, with 2,500 meters.
In the state of Amazonas there are thirteen tepuis. The best known are Cerro Yaví, with 2,300 meters of altitude; the Parú Euaja massif, with 2,200 meters; and the Tamacuari hill, with 2,300 meters.
The criteria for determining this area with the formation of tepuis as a natural monument included its geological configuration, its scenic beauty and its abundant biodiversity.
2- Henry Pittier Park
The Henry Pittier Park extends over 107,800 hectares and is located in the northern part of the Aragua state; It includes a large part of the Aragüean coasts and the mountainous area of the Carabobo state.
Two geographic systems make up the park. One is mountainous, which is the habitat of more than 500 species of birds and 22 endemic species. Nine rivers run through the park and it is possible to appreciate an enormous diversity in flora and vegetation.
The second system located in the coastal zone integrates bays, beaches and spas, and around it a large tourist industry has developed.
3- El Ávila National Park
El Ávila National Park, also called Waraira Repano, extends 90 kilometers over the extreme north of the city of Caracas and comprises 85,192 hectares.
The highest mountain that can be found in the park is Pico Naiguatá, at 2,765 meters. The most visited is the Pico El Ávila (where the Hotel Humboldt is), with 2,105 meters.
Athletes take advantage of the steep slopes of the mountain, and lovers of hiking frequent them daily.
4- Sierra Nevada Park
The Sierra Nevada park is located between the states of Mérida and Barinas, in the west of the country.
It has a total area of 276,446 hectares and is made up of two large mountain systems: the Sierra Nevada de Mérida and the Sierra de Santo Domingo.
Both are characterized by having high peaks, valleys of glacial origin and other valleys formed by the river bed.
The highest ecosystem in the country is preserved in the Sierra Nevada. The highest mountain ranges in the Venezuelan Andes are located there, including Pico Bolívar, which rises to 5,007 meters above sea level.
5- Pico Codazzi National Monument
This monument extends over 11,850 hectares, with heights between 600 and 2,429 meters above sea level, and presents a mountainous landscape that gives rise to several rivers, such as the Tuy, the Petaquire, the Maya and the Limón.
This natural monument contributes to the existence of a great biodiversity, and there it is very common to find cedar.
6- El Guácharo National Park
El Guácharo National Park was discovered by Alejandro Von Humboldt in 1799. It is found among rocks that are 130 million years old and has a length of 10.5 kilometers.
In the park is the Cueva del Guácharo, in honor of a species of nocturnal bird that lives with bats, insects, rodents, arachnids and coleopterans.
It was declared a National Park in 1975, to protect the continuity of the geological and biological processes that take place there.
It is located in the eastern section of the Serranía del Interior of the Caripe Mountain System, in the Cerro Negro, Cerro Papelón and Cerro El Periquito mountain ranges of the Caripe Massif, between the Monagas state and the Sucre state.
7- Piedra del Cocuy Natural Monument
It was declared a national monument in 1978. It consists of an intrusive igneous rock formation, unique in the world.
A dome-shaped mountain rises above the jungle, giving way to a spectacular landscape.
It is located in the municipality of Río Negro, in the state of Amazonas, near the border with Brazil and Colombia, and has become a protected natural area.
8- Morros de Macaira Natural Monument
This monument is made up of three limestone rock massifs and is located in the José Tadeo Monagas municipality, in the Guárico state.
It contains a vast vegetation where tall trees stand out, such as ceibas.
9- Urao Lagoon
This lagoon has enormous aquatic vegetation and is very rich in urao mineral. It is located in the Laguinillas sector, a mountainous and semi-desert region in the southwest of the state of Mérida.
This place had a lot of value for the Amerindian peoples, since they used the urao mineral to make chimó, a kind of cured tobacco.
10- Piedra Pintada Natural Monument
This huge stone is located in front of the Stone of the Turtle monument, south of Puerto Ayacucho, 14 kilometers from the Cataniapo River.
The area occupies an area of 1,475 hectares and there it is possible to appreciate the largest petroglyph in Venezuela.
You can also see cave paintings with important hieroglyphs, and cemeteries that house the bodies of ancient indigenous inhabitants.
References
- McNeely J. et al. (1989). Jungles, Mountains, and Islands: How Tourism Can Help Conserve the Natural Heritage. World Leisure & Recreation. Vol. 31
- Mirana M. et al. (1998) All that glitters is not gold: balancing conservation and development in Venezuela's frontier forests. World Resources Inst., Biological Resources Program. pp: 23-34
- Pellegrini N. et al. (2002). An Educational Strategy for the Environment in the National Park System of Venezuela. Environmental Education Research. V.8. pp: 463-473
- Crowe, P. (1965). What is Happening to the Wildlife of South America. Oryx, 8 (1), 28-31
- Walkey M. et al. (1999). Integrated Protected Area Management. University of Kent at Cantebury. pp: 45-55