Tamá National Natural Park

Parque Nacional Natural Tamá
Tamá National Natural Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Nearest city	Pamplona, Colombia
Coordinates
Area	480 km2 (190 sq mi)
Established	6 June 1977
Governing body	SINAP

The Tamá National Natural Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Natural Tamá) is a national park located in the Andean Region of Colombia, between the municipalities Toledo and Herrán, in the Norte de Santander Department, in the northeastern part of the Cordillera Oriental range. One of the main attractions of the park is a 820-metre-high (2,690 ft) waterfall, one of the world's highest.

General

The park is connected to El Tamá National Park in Venezuela via the borders to the Venezuelan states Táchira and Apure, together they form a larger protected area with an additional 1,390 km² (540 sq mi). On the Colombian side, 47,550 hectares (99%) of the park is located in Toledo and 450 hectares in Herrán. It was established on 6 June 1977 for conservational, scientific and recreational reasons.

The altitude varies between 800 and 3,800 meters above mean sea level, with the majority of the park located higher than 2,500 above MSL. The average temperature is between 6 and 25 °C.

Flora and fauna

Tamá has four types of natural environments: tropical rainforest, sub-Andean forest, Andean forest and páramo. Notable flora include: Weinmannia pubescens, Befaria glauca, Mexican alder and endemic Espeletia uribei which grows higher than metres. Palms prosper in the lower-altitudes, and moss of the genus Sphagnum grows in the swamps.

The fauna is varied, notable mammals found in the area include: spectacled bear, opossum, deer, mountain lion and anteater. Notable birds include: oilbird, endangered northern helmeted curassow and flame-winged parakeet, a species endemic to the region. Tamá harlequin frog and Helena's marsupial frog are endemic to the Páramo de Tamá.

External links

• The park's page at Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia (Spanish)