Venezuela is best known for its oil production and beauty queens. People often joke that beauty queens are the country’s second-biggest export—second to petroleum. The South American country is home to the world’s largest known oil reserves. Fuel in the country is very cheap because of this.
The beauty queens, though, are not cheap as Venezuela takes international beauty pageants seriously. The country has the most beauty pageant winners in the world based on the Big Four pageants: Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Earth. There have been seven Venezuelan winners of Miss Universe, six winners each for the Miss World and Miss International titles, and two winners of Miss Earth.
Venezuela is also a country of ironies. While petroleum is very cheap, the Big Mac is very expensive. The country also has a high crime rate figuring in close to 60 gun-related deaths for every 100,000 residents. However, animals are pretty safe in this part of the world because the Land of Grace believes in protecting its biodiversity. The country has designated more than half of its territory for conservation, the largest protected area by percentage than any other country in the world. The nation has a land area of 916,445 square kilometers (226 million acres).
This is why tourists should drop by some of the country’s 43 national parks, as Venezuela sure knows how to protect its natural resources including its vast number of animal species. It is one of 17 countries labeled as megadiverse, which means that it contains the majority of the earth’s species and has plenty of endemic species. It is also home to the world’s largest rodent, the capybara.
Here are the top 10 unexplored national parks in Venezuela:
1. Aguaro-Guariquito National Park
The most amazing colors are reflected in this national park. The area has flatlands but interspersed with various water bodies like canals, streams, and rivers. The main vegetation types are the savannah and deciduous forest, along with some gallery forests. A part of the area is composed of dunes. Visual framing involves part of the forest area and the flowing water provides a colorful rendering of the park.
Among the water resources in the park are the Caujarito, Guariquito, Faldisquera, Rios Aguaro, and San Bartolo. The abundance of water systems also means plenty of aquatic animals, which include the striped catfish. The forest area is home to some species of monkeys, giant armadillos, and deer.
2. Cienagas del Catatumbo National Park
Located in Zulia state, this national park is a wide plain between the Serrania del Perija and Maracaibo Lake, an inlet of the Caribbean Sea. The park comprises a wide swamp and a small stretch of coast. Because of the swampy nature of the park, it is rich in water birds. Among them are the different species of herons, some ducks, seagulls, and terns. There are also several raptors within the park. According to park management, some 20,000 birds rest in the mangrove areas. Among the endemic species is the chicaguire.
There are also manatees and dolphins in the bay area. Among the terrestrial animals are the pumas, tapirs, and tigers.
3. Cueva del Guacharo National Park
A large limestone cave is the park’s star not just for its beauty but also for its historical significance. Explorer Alexander von Humboldt visited the Guacharo Cave in 1799 and discovered the abundance of oilbirds, also known as Guacharo birds. At that time, the oilbird is an unknown species. Around 15,000 oilbirds are said to live in Guacharo Cave, which was why it was established as a national monument in 1949—the first in Venezuela. But with the surrounding forest, the place was eventually established as a national park in 1975. The forest, after all, is also significant in keeping the oilbirds fed and nourished.
The Guacharo bird has almost the same nocturnal activities as the bats, which also live in caves. The oilbirds leave their caves at night in search of food, mostly fruits. This is the most beautiful part of visiting this park—seeing hundreds or even thousands of oilbirds leave their cave. The birds have brown feathers with white spots. They also sport long tails and bristles around the beak. The cave is nourished by guano, which is the bird’s excrement.
The cave itself is carved from limestone and is over 10 kilometers long. There are large chambers within the cave with various calcium carbonate formations. There are so many beautiful cave formations within the natural structure.
Aside from the oilbirds, there are also around 367 species of birds that live in the park’s different habitats. Among the endangered bird species found in the park are the Venezuelan flowerpiercer and Venezuelan sylph. This prompted international organizations to label the park an Important Bird Area.
4. Laguna de la Restinga
The most beautifully displayed mangrove forest is in this park on Isla Margarita, in the state of Nueva Esparta. The centerpiece of the park is the large salt lake lagoon. Within the lake is a smattering of mangroves that are perfectly shaped. The park, which was established as early as 1974, also holds large mangrove islands. It has since been entered into the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance. The lush vegetation and surrounding water bodies have also made the park attractive among birds, and so it also garnered the stamp Important Bird Area.
Among the mangrove species found in the park are the black, red, and white mangrove while the sandbar has some buttonwood mangrove. The lagoon has some varied species of fish like the black mullets, grunt fish, red snappers, sardines, and swordfish. The mangrove roots are also abundant in oysters. The aquatic birds found in the lagoon are the blue and green herons, cormorants, flamingos, frigate birds, great egrets, ground doves, red-legged tinamous, and scarlet ibis.
Other parts of the protected area have rocky landforms, some cliffs, and small beaches. There are various activities tourists can enjoy in the park.
5. Mariusa National Park
Also known as the Delta del Orinoco National Park, it protects the Orinoco Delta swamp forests region. It is located in the middle of the Orinoco River Delta—the Orinoco is the longest river in South America. The majority of the park is a jungle with a unique plant and animal population. It is considered a special region in Venezuela because of its biodiversity.
The landscape is lush green and vast. The river that runs through the forested park is also calm and refreshing. Both landforms and bodies of water supports a great deal of endemic and endangered species of plants and animals. The waters are important habitats for the Amazon river dolphins, giant river otters, and Orinoco crocodiles. The Orinoco geese also swim in the park’s water systems. As for terrestrial animals, there are bush dogs and jaguars in the jungle. The harpy eagles are also seen flying around.
Over 2,000 species of plants have been documented in the park. This park is generally intact because it is still largely unexplored.
6. Mochima National Park
Pristine blue waters with imposing cliffs on the background, this park is home to the most beautiful beach vistas in Venezuela. The park is located in the states of Anzoategui and Sucre. There are so many natural forms covered by the park-like marine waters, a coastal marine that includes Mochima Bay, from which the park is named after, and Gulf of Santa Fe. The backdrop of the marine park is composed of mountains with montane forests. Some rugged cliffs provide a wonderful panoramic view of the entire park.
The park was established as early as 1973 when authorities realized the importance of preserving the area not just because of its natural beauty but also because of the marine life it hosts. Various species of whales like Bryde’s, humpback, pilot, and sperm frequent the area. They love to play in the waters, too. The same goes for several species of dolphins, which are also abundant in the park.
7. Parima Tapirapeco National Park
Located in the Amazonas state, this is the fifth-largest park in the world and the largest in the country at 38,290 square kilometers (9.5 million acres). The park, established in 1991, is also the second-largest park in the continent. Its establishment was meant to protect the headwaters of the Orinoco River, which is one of the longest rivers in South America. It is also the third-largest river in the world.
The area is also an important cultural park as it is the natural space of the Yanomami ethnic group. This indigenous group lives in around 250 villages in the Amazon Rainforest within the Brazilian and Venezuelan territories. The park is within the Guayana Highlands moist forests ecoregion. Its vegetation is mostly evergreen lowland forests with some submontane and montane forests. There are also some savannah areas.
8. Rio Viejo San Camilo National Park
This park is located near the Colombian border in the state of Apure. It has been a national park since 1993. A satellite photo of the park shows a block of green with just a thin line in the middle representing the river, which flows through the heart of the park. If it looks majestic from above, the experience within the sea of green in the park is even more amazing.
The park is blanketed by trees, many of which are endemic species. Among the trees that are prominent in the park are the apamate, ceiba, Chaparro, macanilla palm, and saman. The height of the trees ranges from 34 meters to as tall as 225 meters.
The park’s various bodies of water have thriving aquatic animals including dozens of species of fishes, river turtles, and caimans. There are also a good number of aquatic birds around like herons and gabanes. There are also some of the most colorful parrots in the park. As for mammals, among the most commonly seen are the ceramerudo deer, giant anteaters, and foxes.
9. Sierra Nevada National Park
Established in 1952, this is the country’s second-oldest national park, and is located between Merida and Barinas. The park aimed to protect part of the Sierra Nevada de Merida, the highest mountain range in Venezuela. It also has the largest massif in the country. Part of the mountain range is Pico Bolivar, the highest peak in Venezuela at 4,981 meters.
Among the water bodies in the park are the Albarregas, Chama, and Mucujun rivers that flow to Lake Maracaibo. There are 10 more lakes in the park with glacial origins.
The park has certainly become an important shelter for many animals—over a hundred species, according to authorities. The spectacled bear, the last remaining species under the short-faced bear category, is found in the park. It is considered an endangered species. Other animals tourists may spot in the park are the Andean coatis, Andean leopards, helmeted curassow, jaguars, pacas, pumas, rabbits, and white-tailed deer.
Among the birds in the park are the Andean guans, black-chested buzzard eagles, magpies, masked trogons, and white-tailed quetzals. The endangered Andean condor has also been spotted in the park, albeit, not frequently.
10. Tapo-Caparo National Park
This is Venezuela’s youngest park, although it had been established as early as 1992. The mountains in the park are so neatly carved and covered in green plants. The entire park has a diverse plant life characterized by forests, ferns mosses, lichens, and fungi. Among the most common plant species in the park are the el araguaney, el bucare, and la Palma llanera.
While the mountains are perfectly shaped, these are also complemented by the pristine rivers of Aricagua, Carburito, Guaimaral, Mucuchachi, Mucupati, and Tucupido Caparo.
Tourists who have the time to do some sweat-inducing activities can hike the park’s mountains or paddle in any of the water systems. In doing so, they might be able to spot some of the thriving wildlife in the park. Among the animal residents of Tapo-Caparo are the Araguato monkeys, frontino bears, Guache foxes, and tiger cats, among others.
The various rivers and lakes also attract a good number of aquatic birds.