Cueva del Guácharo National Park

Cueva del Guácharo
(a man is standing in the cave mouth)

The Cueva del Guácharo National Park has as its centerpiece a large cave ("cueva" in Spanish) 12 km from Caripe, which is the home of thousands of oilbirds (guácharos in Spanish; scientific name Steatornis caripensis). This vegetarian, nocturnal species was made known to science by Alexander von Humboldt and named by him after the town of Caripe.

The Cave

The cave itself was designated as Venezuela's first National Monument, in 1949. The National Park was later created to conserve the cave-system and environment of the birds. The cave is a limestone cavern over 10 km long, with a number of large chambers and spectacular rock formations. The temperature inside the cave generally remains near 19° C and the humidity at 100%.

Guácharo

Main article: Guacharo

Guácharos (Steatornis caripensis), also known as oilbirds, are fruit-eating birds that live within the first section of the cave; they leave at night in search of food. The name Guácharo is onomatopoeic, derived from the quechua "waqay" (shriek or cry), because of their characteristic sound. They are brown with black and white spots, have a long tail, and have bristles around their beak. They measure around 48 cm in length, including the tail. The Guácharo produces 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 when the birds exit the cave in great flocks, in search of food.

Humboldt Museum

Near to the cave entrance is the Humboldt Museum. It offers information about the cave, the national park, the oilbird (guacharo), and of Alexander Von Humboldt.

External links

• Planetware.com
• Cueva del Guácharo Oil Bird Cave

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