Los Farallones De Cali Natural National Park

Description

The Farallones de Cali National Natural Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Natural Farallones de Cali) is the largest national park in the Valle del Cauca Department, Colombia. More than 30 rivers that supply the southwestern Colombia with water originate here. It is located around the area of the city of Cali, in the Cordillera Occidental range.

The ecosystems in the park face several threats including commercial logging, agriculture, tourism, forest fires, hunting and road construction.

Average yearly rainfall is 6000 mm in the southwestern region and 2000–2500 mm in the Los Farallones sector. Plants growing in the area have sufficient water throughout the year.

Farallones de Cali is a sanctuary for endemic and endangered species due to the variety brought by different elevations found in the park. The park includes four types of natural vegetation: humid sub-Andean forest, between 200 m (660 ft) and 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above sea level, characterized by tall rain forest trees and a canopy reaching up to 40 m (130 ft).; wet Andean forest, between 1,200 m (3,900 ft) and 2,000 m (6,600 ft), dominated by Andean Oak; wet High-Andean forest (between 2,000 m (6,600 ft) and 3,500 m (11,500 ft)), with a large number of epiphytes; and páramo at altitudes over 3,500 m (11,500 ft).

Parque Nacional Natural Farallones de Cali is home to over 300 species of birds, including several endemic species, and several species of mammals: from small bats to pumas, panthers, ocelots, foxes and spectacled bears; and five primates: Tufted Capuchin, Howler monkey, Gray-bellied Night Monkey, Mantled Howler and White-fronted Spider Monkey.