The Guácharo Cave National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Cueva del Guácharo) is located 12 km (7.5 mi) from the town of Caripe, Monagas, Venezuela. It has as its centerpiece a large limestone cave.
The cave was visited in 1799 by Alexander von Humboldt, who realised that the thousands of oilbirds (guácharos in Spanish; scientific name Steatornis caripensis) which live in the cave belonged to a species unknown to science. Humboldt named the frugivorous, nocturnal species after the town of Caripe.[1]
The cave is a limestone cavern over 10 km (6.2 mi) long, with a number of large chambers and spectacular rock formations. The temperature inside the cave generally remains near 19 °C (66 °F) and the humidity at 100%.
Oilbirds are fruit-eating birds that live within the first section of the cave; they leave at night in search of food. The Spanish name guácharo is onomatopoeic, and comes from an old Castilian word for one who shrieks or cries, because of their characteristic sound. They are brown with black and white spots, have a long tail and bristles around their beak. They measure around 48 cm (19 in) in length, including the tail. The guácharos produce an organic layer in the cave called guano, formed by excrement and vomited seeds, which provide the basic nutrients for the cave's ecosystem.
The most important daily event in the park occurs in the evening, as dusk falls, when the birds exit the cave in great flocks, in search of food. Visitors are able to view the birds leaving the cave.
Conservation
The cave was designated as Venezuela's first National Monument in 1949.
The National Park was created in 1975 to conserve the cave and the forest ecosystem where the oilbirds feed. The altitude of the national park is 900–2,340 m (2,950–7,680 ft). There are 367 species of bird in the national park, which has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA). Although the oilbird is not an endangered species, several other resident birds fall into this category, for example the Venezuelan flowerpiercer (Diglossa venezuelensis) and the Venezuelan sylph. The national park is part of Cordillera de Caripe Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) site, along with another IBA, the Zona Protectora Macizo Montañoso del Turimiquire.[2]
Humboldt Museum
Near to the cave entrance is the Humboldt Museum.[note 1] It offers information about the cave, the national park, the oilbird (guácharo), and Alexander Von Humboldt.
Notes
^The Natural History Museum of Berlin, in Germany, has been popularly known for 60 years as the "Humboldt Museum" (from 1949 to 2009). This other Museum in Venezuela has nothing to do with the German museum located in Berlin.
(in French)Le voyage aux régions equinoxiales du Nouveau Continent, fait en 1799-1804, Alexandre de Humboldt, Aimé Bonpland (Paris, 1807, etc.);
(in English)Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent During the Years 1799-1804 (London, 1814, etc.);
(in German)Die Reise in die Äquinoktial-Gegenden des Neuen Continents in den Jahren 1799, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803 und 1804, Alexander von Humboldt, Aimé Bonpland (Vienna, 1827, etc.)
^BirdLife International (2015). ["Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2014-04-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=14938 Important Bird Areas factsheet: Parque Nacional El Guácharo (part of Cordillera de Caripe AZE)]. Downloaded from "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2014-04-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) on 25/08/2015
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to El Guácharo National Park.
Guácharo Cave spelunking site
(in Spanish)
March 22, 2023
cueva, guácharo, national, park, this, article, about, venezuelan, cave, national, park, colombian, natural, park, cueva, guácharos, guácharo, cave, national, park, spanish, parque, nacional, cueva, guácharo, located, from, town, caripe, monagas, venezuela, ce. This article is about the Venezuelan cave and national park For the Colombian Natural park see Cueva de los Guacharos The Guacharo Cave National Park Spanish Parque Nacional Cueva del Guacharo is located 12 km 7 5 mi from the town of Caripe Monagas Venezuela It has as its centerpiece a large limestone cave Cueva del Guacharo National ParkIUCN category II national park Cave mouthLocation of Cueva del Guacharo National ParkLocationMonagas VenezuelaNearest cityCaripeCoordinates10 12 00 N 63 38 23 W 10 19989 N 63 63968 W 10 19989 63 63968 Coordinates 10 12 00 N 63 38 23 W 10 19989 N 63 63968 W 10 19989 63 63968Area627 km EstablishedMay 27 1975 1975 May 27 Governing bodyINPARQUESThe cave was visited in 1799 by Alexander von Humboldt who realised that the thousands of oilbirds guacharos in Spanish scientific name Steatornis caripensis which live in the cave belonged to a species unknown to science Humboldt named the frugivorous nocturnal species after the town of Caripe 1 Contents 1 The cave 2 Guacharo bird 3 Conservation 4 Humboldt Museum 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksThe cave Edit The cave inside The cave is a limestone cavern over 10 km 6 2 mi long with a number of large chambers and spectacular rock formations The temperature inside the cave generally remains near 19 C 66 F and the humidity at 100 Guacharo bird Edit Oilbirds Main article Oilbird Oilbirds are fruit eating birds that live within the first section of the cave they leave at night in search of food The Spanish name guacharo is onomatopoeic and comes from an old Castilian word for one who shrieks or cries because of their characteristic sound They are brown with black and white spots have a long tail and bristles around their beak They measure around 48 cm 19 in in length including the tail The guacharos produce an organic layer in the cave called guano formed by excrement and vomited seeds which provide the basic nutrients for the cave s ecosystem The most important daily event in the park occurs in the evening as dusk falls when the birds exit the cave in great flocks in search of food Visitors are able to view the birds leaving the cave Conservation EditThe cave was designated as Venezuela s first National Monument in 1949 The National Park was created in 1975 to conserve the cave and the forest ecosystem where the oilbirds feed The altitude of the national park is 900 2 340 m 2 950 7 680 ft There are 367 species of bird in the national park which has been designated an Important Bird Area IBA Although the oilbird is not an endangered species several other resident birds fall into this category for example the Venezuelan flowerpiercer Diglossa venezuelensis and the Venezuelan sylph The national park is part of Cordillera de Caripe Alliance for Zero Extinction AZE site along with another IBA the Zona Protectora Macizo Montanoso del Turimiquire 2 Humboldt Museum EditNear to the cave entrance is the Humboldt Museum note 1 It offers information about the cave the national park the oilbird guacharo and Alexander Von Humboldt Notes Edit The Natural History Museum of Berlin in Germany has been popularly known for 60 years as the Humboldt Museum from 1949 to 2009 This other Museum in Venezuela has nothing to do with the German museum located in Berlin References Edit in French Le voyage aux regions equinoxiales du Nouveau Continent fait en 1799 1804 Alexandre de Humboldt Aime Bonpland Paris 1807 etc in English Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent During the Years 1799 1804 London 1814 etc in German Die Reise in die Aquinoktial Gegenden des Neuen Continents in den Jahren 1799 1800 1801 1802 1803 und 1804 Alexander von Humboldt Aime Bonpland Vienna 1827 etc BirdLife International 2015 Archived copy Archived from the original on 2007 07 10 Retrieved 2014 04 01 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link datazone sitefactsheet php id 14938 Important Bird Areas factsheet Parque Nacional El Guacharo part of Cordillera de Caripe AZE Downloaded from Archived copy Archived from the original on 2007 07 10 Retrieved 2014 04 01 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link on 25 08 2015External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to El Guacharo National Park Guacharo Cave spelunking site Caripe net Spanish site about Caripe in Spanish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cueva del Guacharo National Park amp oldid 1111854743, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
