Cerro El Ávila
Encyclopedia
The El Ávila National Park (or Waraira Repano, from an indigenous name for the area) covers part of the mountainous region
of the coastal area of north-central Venezuela
. The area's highest elevation is Pico Naiguatá, at 2.765 meters above sea level (9.071 feet). The National Park is named for the Cerro El Ávila (Mountain El Ávila), usually just referred to as "El Ávila", which reaches 2.740 meters 8.990 feet above sea level. This mountain rises north of the capital Caracas
located in a narrow valley 950 meters (3115 feet) above sea level and separates the city from the Caribbean Sea
. The mountain is accessible by cable car (teleferico), by off road vehicle or on foot.
The park follows a mountain range 80 km long and approximately 16 km wide. It contains over 81,800 ha encompassing a wide variety of ecosystems that vary along the altitude gradient from 120 m above sea level to 2,765 m above sea level at Naiguatá peak. In the lower areas of the northern side, the vegetation is mainly xerophytes, represented by a variety of cacti, shrubs and spiny species. From 300 to 600 m, semi-deciduous forests dominate, whereas from 600 to 800 m the seasonal semi-deciduous forests are common. From 800 to 1,500 m above sea level on the northern slope and from 1,200 to 1,600 m on the southern slope, the forests are mainly sub-mountainous evergreen forests. Due to the constant condensation by the cooling of the air masses and the decrease of atmospheric pressure, cloud forest dominates between 1,500 and 2,200 m above sea level. Finally, the lack of water at 2,200 m and higher permits only sub-páramo vegetation. Beautiful forests grow along the numerous watercourses that flow on either side of the mountain.
The temperatures vary widely on El Ávila, with an average temperature of 13º C in the lower sections of Caracas valley and 10º C on Naiguatá peak, where the lowest temperature ever recorded was 2º C. The annual average rainfall fluctuates between 600 and 1,400 mm and is influenced by orography, which explains why rain is more abundant on the northern slope where the mountain faces the trade winds.
Cordillera de la Costa Central
The Cordillera de la Costa Central is a range of mountains in Venezuela, which run east to west along the country's northern coast. It is also known as the Central Range.In the east they follow the border between the states of Vargas and Miranda...
of the coastal area of north-central Venezuela
Venezuela
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...
. The area's highest elevation is Pico Naiguatá, at 2.765 meters above sea level (9.071 feet). The National Park is named for the Cerro El Ávila (Mountain El Ávila), usually just referred to as "El Ávila", which reaches 2.740 meters 8.990 feet above sea level. This mountain rises north of the capital Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
located in a narrow valley 950 meters (3115 feet) above sea level and separates the city from the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. The mountain is accessible by cable car (teleferico), by off road vehicle or on foot.
History
El Ávila National Park is located along the central stretch of the Cordillera de la Costa Mountains in northern Venezuela. El Ávila was declared a park in 1958, fulfilling an interest in its protection that had been prevalent since the 19th century. With its creation came the protection of the forested mountains that surround Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. These mountains now serve as both a recreational area and as a buffer to pollution and urban expansion. El Ávila has always been an important resource for the inhabitants of Caracas, who have used the area for a variety of activities, some of which have threatened its conservation. A hotel and a cable car, which climbs to the highest point at 2,135 m above sea level and drops down the other side to the city of Macuto, were opened in 1956. After being out of service for 20 years, this cable car was reopened in February of this year. It now carries such a large number of people into the park that they could well become a threat to its conservation if not properly regulated.Biodiversity
This park has a high diversity of fauna and flora. More than 100 butterfly species, approximately 120 mammal species, 20 amphibians, 30 reptiles and 500 bird species (36% of Venezuela avifauna) have been documented. Nine bird species are endemic to Venezuela and three threatened bird species live in this park. In addition, more than 1,800 plant species from diverse taxonomic groups can be observed. Several of these plants are endemic to the Cordillera de la Costa mountain range with some endemic to the park itself.Threats
El Ávila can be classified as vulnerable because there is a risk that the diverse threats it faces will increasingly erode its biodiversity, unless in the near future constant monitoring occurs. The most immediate threats to the park, forest fires and illegal settlements, are located primarily near Caracas. However, the concentration of resources and vigilance in those areas closest to the city has resulted in more problems in the more isolated northern slope and eastern sector of El Ávila. These areas suffer from a lack of signs, infrastructure and vigilance. Other threats include the presence of exotic plants, the cable car and poaching.Geography
El Ávila National Park is located along the central stretch of the Cordillera de la Costa, at 10º 32' latitude north and between 66º 12' and 67º 01' longitude west (see map). It covers the mountainous regions between the Caribbean Sea and the valleys of Caracas, Guatire, Guarenas and Barlovento. The park contains part of the following states: Vargas (northern slope), Capital District (southern and western slope) and Miranda (eastern slope).The park follows a mountain range 80 km long and approximately 16 km wide. It contains over 81,800 ha encompassing a wide variety of ecosystems that vary along the altitude gradient from 120 m above sea level to 2,765 m above sea level at Naiguatá peak. In the lower areas of the northern side, the vegetation is mainly xerophytes, represented by a variety of cacti, shrubs and spiny species. From 300 to 600 m, semi-deciduous forests dominate, whereas from 600 to 800 m the seasonal semi-deciduous forests are common. From 800 to 1,500 m above sea level on the northern slope and from 1,200 to 1,600 m on the southern slope, the forests are mainly sub-mountainous evergreen forests. Due to the constant condensation by the cooling of the air masses and the decrease of atmospheric pressure, cloud forest dominates between 1,500 and 2,200 m above sea level. Finally, the lack of water at 2,200 m and higher permits only sub-páramo vegetation. Beautiful forests grow along the numerous watercourses that flow on either side of the mountain.
The temperatures vary widely on El Ávila, with an average temperature of 13º C in the lower sections of Caracas valley and 10º C on Naiguatá peak, where the lowest temperature ever recorded was 2º C. The annual average rainfall fluctuates between 600 and 1,400 mm and is influenced by orography, which explains why rain is more abundant on the northern slope where the mountain faces the trade winds.