Área Natural Única Los Estoraques
| Área Natural Única Los Estoraques | |||
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| Location: | Norte de Santander , Colombia | ||
| Next city: | Ocaña | ||
| Surface: | 640.62 hectares | ||
| Founding: | 1988 | ||
| Address: | Parques Naturales de Colombia | ||
The Área Natural Única Los Estoraques is a Colombian natural park founded in 1988 and is the only one in the Área Natural Única category . It extends in the municipality of La Playa de Belén in the department of Norte de Santander in the eastern cordillera of the Andes on an area of 640.62 hectares . This makes it one of the smallest nature parks in Colombia . Its height profile ranges from 1400 m to a height of 2100 m above sea level. The average temperatures are between 17 and 23 ° C. The landscape is shaped by the stone formations that were created by erosion and colored red by iron oxide. The eponymous tree species Styrax cf. guianensis - called istoraque by the locals - has become extinct in the park area because its wood was used for perfumes.
Flora and fauna
The flora is divided into a dry and a humid area. The vegetation of the dry area reaches a maximum height of two meters and is located in the part of the park with the most distinctive stone formations. Are most often represented Stachytarpheta mutabilis that Guavennart Psidium guineense , guinensis Myrsine , Bejaria aestuans , lucidum Erythroxylum , Weinmannia cf. sorbifolia , Roupala montana , a previously undescribed Pitcairnia -Art, Croton leptosthachyus , Dodonea viscosa , cacti the type Opuntia caracassana that Feigenart Ficus velutina and Clusia aff. rosea . In the area of the streams running through the area, Escallonia pendula and Calycolpus moritzianus are also often found .
The other part of the flora is characterized by a forest about 25 meters high, which is in fog all year round. The oak species Quercus humboldtii and the tree fern Cyathea aff dominate here. quinduense , Calypthranthes , Billia rosea , Heliconia meridensis , the mountain palm Chamaedorea pinnatifrons , and the cocoa species Pachira pulchra .
The fauna consists of 58 bird species from 22 families, some snake species, a fish and a crab species. The diversity of mammals is also high, but their numbers are low. Examples are Proechymis poliopus and the southern opossum .
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- Colombia - Parques Naturales. Villegas Editores, Bogotá 2006, ISBN 958-8156-88-2 .