Canaima National Park facts for kids

A beautiful river in Canaima, Venezuela.

Angel Falls is the highest waterfall in the entire world.

Canaima National Park is a giant wilderness preserve located in southeastern Venezuela. It covers about 30,000 square kilometers, which is roughly the size of Belgium. The park spreads across Bolívar State and touches the borders of Brazil and Guyana. It sits right inside the famous Gran Sabana region.

This park is famous around the world for its massive table-top mountains called tepuis. It is also home to Angel Falls, the world's tallest waterfall. Because of its amazing landscapes and rare wildlife, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.

History and Creation of the Park

Canaima National Park was officially founded on June 12, 1962, to protect its pristine nature. Leaders wanted to preserve its ancient rocks, rare plants, and rushing rivers for future generations.

In 1990, neighboring countries suggested linking the area with Monte Roraima National Park in Brazil. This plan helped scientists share research and manage tourism together across borders.

In 1994, UNESCO honored the park by naming it a World Heritage Site. Experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature study the area carefully to help protect its delicate ecosystem.

Geography and Amazing Landscapes

Map showing the location of Canaima National Park in Bolívar State.

Canaima is the second largest park in Venezuela, right behind Parima-Tapirapecó. It protects a huge section of the Guayanan Highlands moist forests ecoregion.

About 65% of the land is covered by flat-topped mountains known as tepuis. These giant rock plateaus have straight, vertical cliffs and very flat summits. Millions of years of wind and rain carved these shapes out of ancient stone.

The rock here is very old sandstone that sits on top of even older igneous rock like granite. These formations are among the oldest geological surfaces on planet Earth. They began forming when South America and Africa were still joined together.

The highest and most famous plateau to hike is Mount Roraima. Another well-known mountain is Auyantepui, where the mighty Angel Falls drops from the sky. These plateaus rise above the green jungle like giant stone islands in the clouds.

Rivers and Record-Breaking Waterfalls

Devil's Canyon inside Canaima National Park.

Water is everywhere in Canaima National Park. Rain falls often, feeding big rivers that carve deep valleys through the land. The park protects the whole right side of the basin for the Caroní River.

The crown jewel of these waterways is Angel Falls. The water plunges from the summit of Auyán-tepui down an incredible 979 meters. It is so high that much of the water turns into mist before reaching the bottom.

Another giant cascade in the park is Kukenán, which also drops from high cliffs. Many other cascades, like the Yuri Falls and El Sapo and El Sapito Falls, roar through the forest. Travelers often ride boats through the Lagoon of Canaima to see smaller falls up close.

Wild Animals of the Forest and Mountains

Canaima National Park provides a safe home for hundreds of animal species. Animals live in different zones depending on how high they are in the mountains.

Mammals of Canaima

Large mammals roam through the deep, quiet rainforests:

• The Giant armadillo digs deep burrows with its powerful claws.
• The Giant otter swims skillfully through clear jungle rivers.
• The Giant anteater uses its long tongue to eat thousands of ants daily.
• Big cats like the stealthy Jaguar and swift Cougar hunt on the forest floor.
• High in the trees, you can spot the slow Linnaeus's two-toed sloth.
• Strange monkeys live here too, such as the White-faced saki and Brown-backed bearded saki.
• Small creatures hide in the leaves, including the Green acouchi and tiny Bush dog.
• Little rodents like the Roraima mouse and Tyleria mouse opossum live on mountain tops.

Birds and Reptiles

Canaima is so rich in birdlife that BirdLife International calls it an Important Bird Area. Colorful feathered animals fly through every layer of the forest:

• The mighty Harpy eagle is one of the strongest raptors on Earth.
• Playful parrots chatter in the trees, like the Red-shouldered macaw and Dusky parrot.
• Bright toucans use their large, colorful beaks to grab ripe rainforest fruit.
• Tiny, sparkling hummingbirds zip rapidly from flower to flower drinking sweet nectar.

Reptiles and amphibians also thrive in this humid world:

• The bright Yellow-banded poison dart frog warns predators away with its bold skin colors.
• Large green iguanas bask in the warm sun along riverbanks.
• Rare snakes such as the South American bushmaster crawl quietly among the damp fallen leaves.

Plant Life and Carnivorous Plants

The plants living in Canaima are completely extraordinary. Over 300 different plant species live only here in the La Gran Sabana and nowhere else on Earth.

Because rain washes soil nutrients off the flat mountain tops, many plants adapted in amazing ways. Instead of getting food only from the dirt, several became carnivorous plants:

• The pitcher plant genus Heliamphora traps insects in slippery, water-filled leaves to absorb nutrients.
• The Brocchinia, a special member of the Bromeliaceae family, catches bugs inside its tight central cup.
• Sticky sundews called Drosera trap wandering bugs using sparkling drops of sweet natural glue.
• Other meat-eating plants like Genlisea and Utricularia capture tiny soil organisms.

Special native shrubs and flowers also grow on the windy peaks, including Achnopogon, Chimantaea, Mallophyton, Quelchia, and Tepuia.

People, Culture, and History

The indigenous Pemon people have lived in this land for countless generations. They speak a language from the Carib language group and know the wilderness intimately.

In traditional Pemon beliefs, the great tepuis are sacred homes of the 'Mawari' spirits. Because the land is so remote, people mostly travel by walking, using wooden canoes, or flying small airplanes.

Long before modern times, ancient humans made their home in these valleys. Scientists have discovered ancient pictographic rock art painted on stone walls. These mysterious drawings were created thousands of years ago, showing people loved this land in ancient history.

Exploring Canaima

Visitors travel from across the world to see the breathtaking sights of Canaima National Park:

• Auyán-tepui and Angel Falls draw adventurers who ride wooden boats along the Churun River.
• Hikers trek across the windy plateau of Mount Roraima to see unique rock sculptures.
• Travelers admire red-tinted waters and shining crystal pebbles at Jasper Creek.
• Explorers visit calm pools like the Pozo de la Felicidad and sandy stretches along Orquídea Island.
• Many visitors stop at Ratón Island to view the great falls crashing down from the clouds.

Images for kids

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  from left: Kurun tepui, Kusari tepui and Kuravaina tepui

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  Kukenán-tepui view from base

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  Rio Churun devils canyon and Angel Falls

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  Uei-tepui and Chirimata Falls

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  Mount Roraima

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  Yuruaní River and Yuruaní-tepui

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  Ilú-tepui

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  Wadakapiapué-tepui and Ilú–tepui

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  Yuruaní-tepui and Wadakapiapué-tepui

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  Jasper Creek

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  Kukenán-tepui

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  La Gran Sabana

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  Kamá Falls

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  Waterfalls of Canaima

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  Kukenan Tepui

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  Pozo Azul

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  River in the Gran Sabana

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  Churun River

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  Salto Angel aerial view

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  Angel Falls as seen from base

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  Canaima Lake and Ucaima Waterfalls

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  Kavac caves

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  El Hacha falls

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  El Hacha and Ucaima falls. Carrao river and Canaima Lagoon

See also

In Spanish: Parque nacional Canaima para niños

• La Gran Sabana