| El Parque Nacional Natural Puracé | |
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| Puracé National Natural Park | |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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| Nearest city | Popayán, Colombia |
| Area | 830 km2 (320 sq mi)[1] |
| Established | 1961[1] |
| Governing body | SINAP |
The Puracé National Natural Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Natural Puracé) 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,[1] one of Colombia's most active volcanoes.[2] Four of the country's most important rivers originate within the area:[3] Magdalena River, Cauca River, Japurá River and Patía River.[4]
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It was established in 1961 as the first national park in the Cauca Department.[1][4] 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.[4]
The only active volcano in the area is Puracé at 4,580 metres (15,030 ft) above mean sea level. In addition there are two higher volcanoes, Azúcar at 5,000 m (16,000 ft) and Coconuco at 4,600 m (15,100 ft), and four more with and elevation between 4,400 m (14,400 ft) and 4,500 m (14,800 ft).[5]
The highest daytime temperatures are between 14-16°C, and the coldest nighttime temperatures below freezing.[4] The average yearly rainfall is 2500 mm and tend to decrease and elevation increases. Frost occurs frequently above 3,000 m (9,800 ft) and almost daily above 4,200 m (13,800 ft).[6]
Over 200 orchids[6] and nationally threatened species such as the Colombian Pine, Andean Oak, Wax palm tree are found in the park.[5][7] It is home to over 160 species of birds, of which hummingbirds, ducks, Blue Jays, birds of prey are the most dominating.[7] Several mammals are found in the park: spectacled bear, mountain tapir, cougar, pudú[1][4] as well as the Andean condor that the San Diego Zoo helped to reintroduce in the 1990s.[4] The lower elevation forests are home to four primates: woolly monkey, howler monkey, gray-bellied night monkey, tufted capuchin.[8]
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