The natural symbols of Venezuela seek to highlight its benefits, particularities and indigenous customs. Each nation usually declares a group of elements within its flora and fauna as icons of national identity and differentiators from other cultures.
In the case of Venezuela, in addition to national symbols, there are also natural symbols that not only represent endogenous species from different regions of the country, but are also rooted in Venezuelan culture.
Venezuela is one of the countries with the most natural resources in Latin America, it is also one of the 17 most megadiverse countries on Earth. The flora and fauna species inhabit the Andes in the west, the Amazon rainforest in the south, the plains of the Llanos, the Orinoco river delta in the east, and the Caribbean coast.
The animals that inhabit Venezuela are diverse, including manatees, Amazon dolphins, Orinoco crocodiles and more than 1,400 species of birds, 48 of them endemic. Among those that are in danger of extinction, the most notable are the tigrillo, the cardinal or the fin whale.
Regarding plants, there are more than 25,000 species of orchids found in cloud forests or lowland forests. The national tree is the araguaney, also called guayacán or zapatillo, which reaches more than 35 meters high and inhabits the tropophilic forests of the Venezuelan plains.The 3 main natural symbols of Venezuela
1- The turpial
It is the national bird of Venezuela. It was chosen through a contest sponsored by the Venezuelan Society of Sciences and officially decreed as a Venezuelan national bird on May 23, 1958.
This bird is recognized by the yellow-orange tones that cover its entire body, except for the head and wings that tend to be black with white specks.
It has an intense blue spot around the eyes and it is small in size: it measures between 15 and 20 cm. The mating cycle takes place between the months of March and September.
The first record of the turpial in Venezuelan lands dates from the year 1839. It was then that the botanist Jhon Lindley assigned it its scientific name and classified it within the ichteridae family, originally from the American continent.
Their preferences lean towards hot spots, such as plains and xerophilous forests. It can be found alone or in pairs in La Guajira, on the Caribbean coast and the Paraguaná peninsula.
It can also be found towards Sucre state and crossing the plains towards the Orinoco delta. It can also be seen on the island of Margarita, on the Colombian borders and even in Panama.
This bird does not build its own nests, but occupies those it finds uninhabited. In some cases, it is installed in some nests by force, aggressively expelling its inhabitants.
Their diet is based on insects and fruits. She has a very melodious song and usually sings at dawn.
With regard to its name, there are two hypotheses: one affirms that it comes from indigenous roots; and another, supported by the Venezuelan flora and fauna specialist Bruno Manara, indicates that it is the onomatopoeia of his song, which can be heard as “turu-pio, turu-pio”.
2- The orchid
Declared national flower of Venezuela on May 23, 1951 by resolution of the Ministries of Education and Agriculture and Breeding.
The scientist Willian Cattley was commissioned to name it, since he cultivated the first specimens of this variety in England through another species brought to him from Brazil in 1818.
However, the first records of its presence in Venezuela date back to the 1830s, specifically of the "Mossiae" species, popularly known as the Flor de Mayo.
This is a species that grows best in warm, humid environments. Therefore, it is easily found throughout the national geography.
It is mostly lilac-violet in color, although it can have different colors: it changes from white to yellow, pink, and deep purple.
The orchid is one of the most widespread families in the plant kingdom. More than 800 genera and 30,000 species are known, although the variants found in South America and Central America do not exceed 60 species.
Most grow on other plants, with which it maintains a symbiotic relationship, although there are others that flourish on rocks covered with moss and lichens.
They can be differentiated and classified according to their leaves: there are some that develop only one, while others develop two or three, thus labeling themselves as unifoliated or bifoliate.
This flower can measure up to 14 cm and is made up of petals and sepals of the same color. They have a large lip, wavy edges and spots of different colors from the rest of the flower.
It can be found in the coastal mountain range from 800 meters to 1500 meters above sea level in the states of Aragua, Miranda, Yaracuy, Carabobo, Portuguesa, Lara, Táchira, Trujillo and Mérida.
Throughout the entire Venezuelan territory every year orchid exhibitions are held, especially in the month of May. These exhibitions are carried out by specialized organizations.
Some of these institutions are the Venezuelan Society of Natural Sciences (SVCN), the Miranda State Orchid Society (SOEM), the Bolívar Orchid Growers Society (SOCB) and the Venezuelan Orchid Association (AVO).
It is considered a symbol of femininity because for its pollination it is necessary that the insects be males.
3- The araguaney
Proclaimed national tree on May 29, 1948 by joint resolution of the Ministries of Education and Agriculture and Breeding during the celebration of the first Arbor Day.
This tradition was maintained until 1951, when on May 19 it was decreed that the last Sunday of May would be the week of the tree.
The araguaney on average can measure between 6 and 8 meters. It has a straight and cylindrical trunk of 60 cm in diameter on average.
It can go unnoticed for most of the year. However, at the end of the drought it drops its green leaves and, at the beginning of the rainy period -between February and April- this tree fills with large and striking flowers of an intense yellow color.
During this stage the seeds that have been falling are already at their peak to begin to germinate a new plant.
The araguaney is a common tree in trophic, deciduous or deciduous forests, as well as in arid savannas and hills, but it grows easily in almost any light and well-drained soil, so it is not uncommon to find it in much of the Venezuelan territory.
Its scientific name is Tabebuia Chrisantha. Tabebuia is of aboriginal origin derived from “aravanei”, and chisantha is a Greek word that means “golden flower”, referring to the color of its flowers. It is also known as acapro, curarí, araguán, cañada or puy.
The araguaney wood is one of the hardest in the tropical zone. It is used for the construction of furniture, bodies, floors and fine crafts, among others.
It has also been used for urban forestry, living fences, for shade and ornament. It is excellent melliferous.
References
- American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V).
- Natural symbols. Recovered from Sigavenezuela.com.ve on January 27, 2018.
- Natural symbols of Venezuela. Retrieved from Notilogia.com on January 27, 2018.
- 10 facts about the turpial, the national bird of Venezuela. Recovered from Latiendavenezolana.com on January 27, 2018.