CUEVA EL GUACHARO

This natural monument was declared a national park on July 15, 1975 in tribute to the famous technologist Alexander Humboldt. The average temperature of 181 ha is between 18 and 19 ° C. Scientifically known as Steatiornis Caripensis, definition of the bird hosted and reproduced in the cave. These specimens live in symbiosis in an obscure, protected and humid zone, feed fruit and build their nests on the walls of the cave walls. Histographie reveals that, in 1977, Francisco de Ybarra y Herrera, bishop of the diocese of Saint-Thomas-de-Guiana, was one of the first people to explore the cave. But there are still historical facts: prior to colonization, the natives visited it.

From 1657 onwards, the Franciscan Capuchin missionaries discovered it at the evangelization of Alanya Province. Humbold visited her during his expeditions in 1799, as shown by a plaque dedicated to the great man (to venture further, enlightened cave fans must apply for a permit in Caracas in Caracas). The author says that he travels 472 m to reach a giant stalactite, "El Castillo" (the castle). It was in 1855 that Agustin Codozzi travelled the cave in its entirety to reach the "No silence" and the "Salon de los Pechos".

During heavy rains, from July to September, it may happen that the bed of the river déborde and flooding a good part of the cave, making the visit impossible. A very good path matching the cave, accessible from 4 to 77 years. During the rainy season, a pair of trainers will be more adapted than your Teva sandals. Finally, the use of flash is forbidden for the first 800 metres.

Indeed, the guácharos, animals photophobiques, have wards completely dilated by the darkness and light of your device blind blind to lose any marker! They then drop against the walls of the cave and die. In the cave, the use of oil lamp in discrete light is tolerated. The largest cave in Venezuela is also venerable, 130 million years old, and definitely deserves displacement. Of the 9 000 m of galleries, just over 1 800 m are visible.

Your walk (sometimes slippery) in the cave will be enliven by the strange forms of stalagmites and stalactites. They form figures - or shadows - as varied as breasts, King Kong, a mushroom, a palm tree, a pelican, an elephant head or a couple of lovers. It's really fascinating!

You will pass from the room assourdissante of the guácharos to that of Silence, to reach the room of the "Pechos" breasts. But for now, you're in the lair of the photophobique cave: Steatornis caripensis. This barbaric word means etymologically "bird of Caripe oil", guácharo for the intimate.

He lives only in the dark, reaches 1,10 m tall and has very little utiles eyes since the volatile moves, like a bat, by emitting ultrasound. At night he leaves in the national park looking for seeds that he feeds.

These are the same seeds that he rejects, after digestion, in the cave and which germinate a few days, until the lack of light becomes fatal to them. The particular ecosystem of the cave is also made up of mice, crabs, fungi, spiders, frogs, bats and other graceful creatures.