Tamá National Natural Park
Encyclopedia
The Tamá National Natural Park is a national park
located in the Andean Region of Colombia
, between the municipalities Toledo
and Herrán, in the Norte de Santander Department, in the northeastern part of the Cordillera Central range. One of the main attractions of the park is a 820 metres (2,690.3 ft) high waterfall
, one of the world's highest.
via the borders to the Venezuelan states
Táchira
and Apure
, together they form a larger protected area with an additional 1390 km² (536.7 sq mi). On the Colombian side, 47,550 hectares (99%) of the park is located in Toledo
and 450 hectares in Herrán. It was established in 6 June 1977 for conservational, scientific and recreational reasons.
The altitude varies between 800 and 3,800 meters above mean sea level
, with the majority of the park located higher than 2,500 above MSL. The average temperature is between 6 and 25°C.
. Notable flora include: Weinmannia pubescens, Befaria glauca, Mexican alder and endemic Espeletia
uribei which grows higher than 11 metres (36.1 ft). Palms
prosper in the lower-altitudes, and moss
of the genus Sphagnum
grows in the swamps.
The fauna is varied, notable mammals found in the area include: spectacled bear
, opossum, deer
, mountain lion and anteater
. Notable birds include: Oilbird
, endangered Northern Helmeted Curassow and Flame-winged Parakeet
, a species endemic to the region.
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...
, between the municipalities Toledo
Toledo, Norte de Santander
Toledo is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
and Herrán, in the Norte de Santander Department, in the northeastern part of the Cordillera Central range. One of the main attractions of the park is a 820 metres (2,690.3 ft) high waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
, one of the world's highest.
General
The park is connected to El Tamá National Park in VenezuelaVenezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
via the borders to the Venezuelan states
States of Venezuela
Venezuela is divided into 23 states , 1 Capital District and the Federal Dependencies that consist of a large number of Venezuelan islands...
Táchira
Táchira (state)
Táchira State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is San Cristóbal.Táchira State covers a total surface area of 11,100 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 1,177,300....
and Apure
Apure
Apure State is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. Its territory formed part of the provinces of Mérida, Maracaibo, and Barinas, in accordance with successive territorial ordinations pronounced by the colonial authorities. In 1824 the Department of Apure was created, under...
, together they form a larger protected area with an additional 1390 km² (536.7 sq mi). On the Colombian side, 47,550 hectares (99%) of the park is located in Toledo
Toledo, Norte de Santander
Toledo is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
and 450 hectares in Herrán. It was established in 6 June 1977 for conservational, scientific and recreational reasons.
The altitude varies between 800 and 3,800 meters 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...
, with the majority of the park located higher than 2,500 above MSL. The average temperature is between 6 and 25°C.
Flora and fauna
Tamá has four types of natural environments: tropical rainforest, sub-Andean forest, Andean forest and páramoPáramo
The term páramo can refer to a variety of ecosystems. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as “all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline”. A more narrow term classifies the páramo according to its regional placement - specifically located in “the northern Andes...
. Notable flora include: Weinmannia pubescens, Befaria glauca, Mexican alder and endemic Espeletia
Espeletia
Espeletia, commonly known as Frailejón or Fraylejón is a genus of perennial subshrubs, in the family Asteraceae. The genus, which is endemic mainly to Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, was first formally described by botanist Alexander Von Humboldt in 1801...
uribei which grows higher than 11 metres (36.1 ft). Palms
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
prosper in the lower-altitudes, and moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
of the genus Sphagnum
Sphagnum
Sphagnum is a genus of between 151 and 350 species of mosses commonly called peat moss, due to its prevalence in peat bogs and mires. A distinction is made between sphagnum moss, the live moss growing on top of a peat bog on one hand, and sphagnum peat moss or sphagnum peat on the other, the...
grows in the swamps.
The fauna is varied, notable mammals found in the area include: 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...
, opossum, deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, mountain lion and anteater
Anteater
Anteaters, also known as antbear, are the four mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua commonly known for eating ants and termites. Together with the sloths, they compose the order Pilosa...
. Notable birds include: Oilbird
Oilbird
The Oilbird , also known as Guácharo, is a bird found in the northern areas of South America . They are nocturnal feeders on the fruits of the Oil Palm and tropical laurels, and are the only nocturnal fruit eating birds in the world...
, endangered Northern Helmeted Curassow and Flame-winged Parakeet
Flame-winged Parakeet
The Flame-winged Parakeet , also known as the Brown-breasted Parakeet, is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to forest edge and shrub at altitudes of 1700–3400 m. on the east Andean slope in Colombia. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* BirdLife...
, a species endemic to the region.