| Cueva del Guácharo National Park | |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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Cave mouth |
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| Location | Monagas, Venezuela |
| Nearest city | Caripe |
| Area | 627 km² |
| Established | 27 May 1975 |
| Governing body | INPARQUES |
The Guácharo Cave National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Cueva del Guácharo) is located 12 km from the town of Caripe, Monagas, Venezuela. It has as its centerpiece a large limestone cave, which is home to thousands of oilbirds (guácharos in Spanish; scientific name Steatornis caripensis). This frugivorous, nocturnal species was made known to science by Alexander von Humboldt and named by him after the town of Caripe.[1]
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The cave itself was designated as Venezuela's first National Monument in 1949. The National Park was later created to conserve the cave and the forest eco-system where the birds feed. 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%.
Oilbirds are fruit-eating birds that live within the first section of the cave; they leave at night in search of food. The Spanish name guácharo is onomatopoeic, and comes from an old Castilian word for one who shrieks or cries, because of their characteristic sound. They are brown with black and white spots, have a long tail and bristles around their beak. They measure around 48 cm in length, including the tail. The guácharos produce 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, as dusk falls, when the birds exit the cave in great flocks, in search of food.
Near to the cave entrance is the Humboldt Museum. It offers information about the cave, the national park, the oilbird (guácharo) and Alexander Von Humboldt.
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