Puracé National Natural Park
Encyclopedia
The Puracé National Natural Park is a national park
located in the Andean Region of Colombia
, southeast of the city of Popayán
in the Cordillera Central range. Its main feature is the active stratovolcano
Puracé
, one of Colombia's most active volcanoes. Four of the country's most important rivers originate within the area: Magdalena River
, Cauca River
, Japurá River
and Patía River
.
. During the 1990s the FARC guerrilla
used the park as a base camp, but it has been cleaned of the forces since 2002 after the President of Colombia
Álvaro Uribe
's campaign against the movement.
The only active volcano
in the area is Puracé at 4580 metres (15,026.2 ft) above mean sea level
. In addition there are two higher volcanoes, Azúcar at 5000 m (16,404.2 ft) and Coconuco at 4600 m (15,091.9 ft), and four more with and elevation between 4400 m (14,435.7 ft) and 4500 m (14,763.8 ft).
s and nationally threatened species such as the Colombian Pine
, Andean Oak
, Wax palm tree
are found in the park. It is home to over 160 species of birds, of which hummingbird
s, duck
s, Blue Jay
s, birds of prey
are the most dominating. Several mammals are found in the park: spectacled bear
, mountain tapir
, cougar, pudú
as well as the Andean condor
that the San Diego Zoo
helped to reintroduce in the 1990s. The lower elevation forests are home to four primates: woolly monkey
, howler monkey
, gray-bellied night monkey
, tufted capuchin
.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
located in the Andean Region of Colombia
Andean Region of Colombia
The Andes mountains form the most populated region of Colombia and contain the majority of the country's urban centres. They were also the location of the most significant pre-Columbian indigenous settlement...
, southeast of the city of Popayán
Popayán
Popayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
in the Cordillera Central range. Its main feature is the active stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
Puracé
Puracé
Puracé is a stratovolcano located in the Puracé National Natural Park in the Cauca Department, Colombia. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Colombia. Large explosive eruptions occurred in 1849, 1869, and 1885, and the latest eruption was in 1977....
, one of Colombia's most active volcanoes. Four of the country's most important rivers originate within the area: Magdalena River
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in spite of the shifting sand bars at the mouth of its delta, as...
, Cauca River
Cauca River
The Cauca River is a river in Colombia that lies between the Occidental and Central cordilleras. Born in southwestern Colombia near the city of Popayán, it joins the Magdalena River near Pinillos in Bolívar Department, and the combined river eventually flows out into the Caribbean Sea. It has a...
, Japurá River
Japurá River
The Japurá River or Caquetá River is a river about long rising as the Caquetá River in the Andes in the Southwest of Colombia. It flows southeast into Brazil, where it is called the Japurá. The Japurá enters the Amazon River through a network of channels...
and Patía River
Patía River
The Patía River is a river in southwestern Colombia. It flows over 400 kilometers to drain into the Pacific Ocean north of Tumaco. The Patía River is the longest river on the Colombian Pacific Coast. The last 90 kilometers is navigable by boat.-Geography:...
.
General
It was established in 1961 as the first national park in the Cauca DepartmentCauca Department
Cauca is a Department of Colombia. Located in the south-western part of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Valle del Cauca Department to the north, Tolima Department to the northeast, Huila Department to the east and the Nariño Department to the south, covering a total area of...
. During the 1990s the FARC guerrilla
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
used the park as a base camp, but it has been cleaned of the forces since 2002 after the President of Colombia
President of Colombia
The President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
Álvaro Uribe
Álvaro Uribe
Alvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
's campaign against the movement.
The only active volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
in the area is Puracé at 4580 metres (15,026.2 ft) above mean sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. In addition there are two higher volcanoes, Azúcar at 5000 m (16,404.2 ft) and Coconuco at 4600 m (15,091.9 ft), and four more with and elevation between 4400 m (14,435.7 ft) and 4500 m (14,763.8 ft).
Climate
The highest daytime temperatures are between 14-16°C, and the coldest nighttime temperatures below freezing. The average yearly rainfall is 2500 mm and tend to decrease and elevation increases. Frost occurs frequently above 3000 m (9,842.5 ft) and almost daily above 4200 m (13,779.5 ft).Flora and fauna
Over 200 orchidOrchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
s and nationally threatened species such as the Colombian Pine
Podocarpus oleifolius
Podocarpus oleifolius is a species of conifer in the Podocarpaceae family.It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.-References:...
, Andean Oak
Quercus humboldtii
Quercus humboldtii, commonly known as the Andean Oak, Colombian Oak or Roble, is a species of oak in the Fagaceae family. It is endemic to the highlands of northern South America, with an altitudinal range from 1,000 to 3,200 m...
, Wax palm tree
Ceroxylon quindiuense
Ceroxylon quindiuense , is a palm native to the Andean high altitude valley of Cocora in the department of Quindío, northwest Colombia.-Description:...
are found in the park. It is home to over 160 species of birds, of which hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s, duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s, Blue Jay
Blue Jay
The Blue Jay is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States and southern Canada, although western populations may be migratory. It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in...
s, birds of prey
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
are the most dominating. Several mammals are found in the park: spectacled bear
Spectacled Bear
The spectacled bear , also known as the Andean bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the last remaining short-faced bear and the closest living relative to the Florida spectacled bear and short-faced bears of the Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene age.The spectacled bear is a...
, mountain tapir
Mountain Tapir
The Mountain Tapir or Woolly Tapir is the smallest of the four species of tapir and is the only one to live outside of tropical rainforests in the wild...
, cougar, pudú
Pudú
The pudús are two species of South American deer from the genus Pudu; the world's smallest deer. The name is a loanword from Mapudungun the language of the indigenous Mapuche people of southern Chile...
as well as the Andean condor
Andean Condor
The Andean Condor is a species of South American bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae and is the only member of the genus Vultur...
that the San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, is one of the most progressive zoos in the world, with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species...
helped to reintroduce in the 1990s. The lower elevation forests are home to four primates: woolly monkey
Woolly monkey
The woolly monkeys are the genus Lagothrix of New World monkeys, usually placed in the family Atelidae.There are four species of woolly monkey. All originate from the rainforests of South America...
, howler monkey
Howler monkey
Howler monkeys are among the largest of the New World monkeys. Fifteen species are currently recognised. Previously classified in the family Cebidae, they are now placed in the family Atelidae. These monkeys are native to South and Central American forests...
, gray-bellied night monkey
Gray-bellied Night Monkey
The gray-bellied night monkey , also called the lemurine owl monkey, is a small New World monkey of the family Aotidae...
, tufted capuchin
Tufted Capuchin
The tufted capuchin , also known as brown capuchin or black-capped capuchin is a New World primate from South America...
.