Humid forests of the northern Peninsula de Paria coast

Description

The Peninsula de Paria National Park is located in the eastern end of the Coastal Cordillera, in the montane area of the Paria Peninsula. It protects a diverse set of landscapes, from costal inlets, such as Don Pedro and Uquire, to mountain landscapes including the highest elevations in the peninsula, El Patao Hill, with 1,070 meters above sea level (masl) and El Humo Hill with 1,371 masl (MARN 1992, Fernández and Michelangeli 2003).

Biodiversity

The flora in the cloud forests of the Paria Peninsula correlates with that of the Amazon and Guyana regions in southern Venezuela and with the nearby islands of Trinidad and Tobago (Steyermark 1973, Steyermark 1974). Plant endemism levels are high, with 29 species occurring only in cloud forests, such as orchids, bromeliads and ferns (Steyermark 1979, Fernández y Michelangeli 2003). The fauna is diverse and rich in species, particularly for birds. About 27% of the bird species in Venezuela have been reported in the Park (Sharpe 1997, Lentino 1997). One of its highlights is the scissor-tailed hummingbird (Hylonnympha macrocerca), endemic to Paria. Many mammal species are shared with the Guyana region, including the two-toed and three-toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus and Bradypus tridactylus) and the silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) (Linares 1998).

Threats

The Peninsula de Paria National Park is considered vulnerable. Constant monitoring is required to ensure its protection and the maintenance of biological diversity in the midterm. One of the main threats is agriculture in areas adjacent to the Park. Conuco (parcel of land owned by small farmers) agriculture is expanding towards the protected area, clearing montane forests in the peninsula. Other threats include illegal hunting, wood logging, and the lack of human resources and adequate management equipment for park rangers.