Puinawai Natural Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Puinawai Natural Reserve |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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 Puinawai Natural Reserve
Location in Colombia
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| Location | Guainía, Colombia |
| Nearest city | Inírida |
| Area | 10,925 square kilometres (4,218 sq mi) |
| Established | 1989 |
The Puinawai Natural Reserve (also called Reserva Nacional Natural Puinawai in Spanish) is a huge protected area in Colombia. It is the second-largest national park in the country. This amazing reserve covers about 10,925 square kilometres (4,218 sq mi) of land. That's like 15% of the entire Guainía Department in Colombia!
The reserve is located in the Amazon Region of Colombia. It was created in September 1989. Interestingly, it was set up at the same time as three important areas for native groups. Many rivers flow through the Puinawai Natural Reserve. Some of these rivers, like the Cuyari, Isana, and Guainía River, are part of the huge Amazon River system. The Inírida River here flows into the Orinoco River system. The land in the reserve is between 200 to 380 metres (660 to 1,250 ft) above sea level. It has a hot and humid climate all year round, with not many changes in seasons.
Exploring Puinawai's Ecosystem
Most of the Puinawai Natural Reserve is covered by a humid tropical rainforest. But you can also find open tropical savannas and areas where these two environments meet. Not much of the forest has been cut down (deforested) here. This is because the reserve is hard to reach and not many people live nearby. Colombia's national park services say that only about 1% of Puinawai has been deforested.
Amazing Plants and Animals
The reserve is home to a huge number of plant species. There are 419 different kinds of plants found here! Out of these, 176 are endemic. This means they are found only in this area or the larger Guyana Shield region and nowhere else in the world.
Puinawai also has many different animals. These local species have been kept safe partly because the native tribes living there have practiced a way of life that helps the environment. They live in a way that protects nature. It's important to know that the Puinawai Natural Reserve is not open for public visits.
See also
In Spanish: Reserva nacional natural Puinawai para niños
