San Esteban National Park

GENERAL INFORMATION

Decrees

Plan of Regulation and Regulation of use

Altimetry

0-1830

Weather

Warm rainy.

Temperature

20º C – 28º C

Precipitation (mm)

700-1,800 mm.

Water resources

San Esteban River.

state

Carabobo

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Geological and Geomorphological Information

     Located in the Cordillera de la Costa, it encompasses a wide range of ecosystems and diverse landscapes. The relief is rugged with steep slopes and heights that vary from sea level to 1,830 meters above sea level, on Cerro Villalonga. These variations of altitudes determine the important changes in the landscape, climate and vegetation, existing plant formations and animal species of great scientific value for their endemic nature. The park has a valuable water resource, from which numerous rivers are born such as: Los Guayos, Cabriales, Agua Linda, Trincheras, Miquija, Goaigoaza, San Esteban, Borburata, Santa Rita and Patanemo, which drain their waters towards the basin of the Sea Caribbean; Vigirimita, Yapascua, Ucharonal, Los Apios, El Pozote, San Diego, Cabriales, La Umaca and Agua Linda that drain their waters towards the Lake of Valencia.

Vegetation

     As in the whole Cordillera de la Costa, here the vegetation is rich and varied, in it coexist xerophilous mountains, bushes, savannas and forests. Mangroves abound on the coast, such as the red Rhizophora mangle and coconut trees Cocoloba uvifera. To the south you can see cardons and spines. Between 200 – 400 meters above sea level, there is a low and deciduous dry forest. Around 700 meters above sea level, the deciduous forest grows, medium to high, where there is abundance of the yacro-tree Cecropia spp., Casia sp., Inga sp., The araguaney Tabebuia chrysantha, the matapalo Ficus sp. and the bucare Erythrina sp. From 900 meters up, the green jungle is born with its varied and complex composition, palm trees grow here, such as the Bactris setulosa macanilla, Chamaedorea pinnatifrons mill cane, Dictyocaryum fuscum cactus palm, Geonoma sp. Shade palmita, the prapa palm Wettinia praemorsa; lianas, epiphytes and imposing trees where the ladle Gryanthera caribensis stands out. In the San Esteban National Park, 125 families, 703 genera and 1,520 species have been registered up to now.

Fauna

     The fauna is diverse, including the avifauna, the ichthyofauna and numerous migratory species. Noteworthy are the Procnias averano bellbird, Pauxi pauxi stone paují, Nyctanassa violacea masked chicuaco, Amazona ochrocephala royal parrot, Aratinga pertinax face dirty parrot, Chlorostilbon alice emerald and Ortalis ruficauda guacharaca. In the area of ​​the coast it is common to see the pelican Pelecanus occidentalis, the earwig Fregata magnificens. The mammals are represented by the puma Felis concolor, the jaguar Panthera onca, the tapirus Tapirus terrestris, the báquiro Tayassu tajacu, the cunaguaro Leopardus pardalis and the lapa Agouti paca. Also they emphasize the ophidios, being the most common species the mapanares, the tigra butterfly Bothrops venezuelensis, the viejita Bothrops medusa, the Bothrops atrox and the Bothrops colombiensis; corals Micrurus sp., Micrurus mipartitus semipartitus. Among the nonpoisonous ones are the tragavened Boa constrictor, the black huntress Clelia clelia clelia and the tigra huntress Spilotes pullatus pullatus, the sapa Umbrivaga mertensi, the warbler Leimadophis zweifeli, the huntress Rhadinaea williamsi. In the park lives the crocodile crocodylus acutus, an endangered species, the morrocoy Geochelone sp., The iguana iguana iguana.