The Sierra La Culata National Park () Also Sierra de la Culata National Park is a national park of

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

that is located in the northeastern branch of the

Venezuelan Andes The Venezuelan Andes (Spanish: ''Andes Venezolanos'') also simply known as the Andes (Spanish: ''Los Andes'') in Venezuela, are a mountain system that form the northernmost extension of the Andes. They are fully identified, both by their geologi ...

, in the states Mérida and Trujillo. It was decreed a national park on December 7, 1989. It has a high mountain climate, with temperatures ranging between , and its surface area is . The vegetation is characterized by the presence of numerous species of frailejones, shrubs such as ericaceae and melastomataceae; ferns and numerous mosses, liver lichens and fungi. The tree of the zone is the Coloradito. This park houses species such as the

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large felidae, cat species and the only extant taxon, living member of the genus ''Panthera'' that is native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the biggest cat spe ...

, the

Spectacled bear The spectacled bear (''Tremarctos ornatus''), also known as the South American bear, Andean bear, Andean short-faced bear or mountain bear and locally as jukumari ( Aymara and Quechua), ukumari ( Quechua) or ukuku, is a species of bear native to ...

, the

Armadillo Armadillos () are New World placental mammals in the order (biology), order Cingulata. They form part of the superorder Xenarthra, along with the anteaters and sloths. 21 extant species of armadillo have been described, some of which are dis ...

, the

Loach Loaches are ray-finned fishes of the suborder Cobitoidei. They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish found in rivers and creeks throughout Eurasia and North Africa, northern Africa. Loaches are among the most diverse groups of fish; the ...

, the

Andean condor The Andean condor (''Vultur gryphus'') is a South American New World vulture and is the only member of the genus ''Vultur''. It is found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America. With a maximum wingspan of and ...

, and amphibians such as the nurse frog (sapito niñera). Within the park are at least one endemic species of brachythermal butterfly (Round empetrus).

Gallery

File:Sierra de La Culata nevada.jpg, Snow File:Páramo de Mucubají.jpg, Mucubají paramo File:Laguna Las Iglesias.jpg, Las Iglesias Lagoon File:Detrás de una gran flor siempre hay un gran paisaje.jpg, View of the Sierra File:Familia equina.jpg, Horses in the park File:VIsta de la Laguna la Calzona llegando por el paramo los torres.jpg, La Calzona Lagoon File:Valle El Muerto.jpg, El Muerto Valley File:Valle de Mifafí 4.jpg, Mifafí Valley File:Valle de las Cascadas.jpg, Las Cascadas Valley File:Picos en la culata.jpg, Mountains in the Park

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sierra de La Culata, National Park National parks of Venezuela Protected areas established in 1989 1989 establishments in Venezuela Geography of Portuguesa (state) Tourist attractions in Portuguesa (state) Geography of Mérida (state) Tourist attractions in Mérida (state)

Gallery

See also

References