Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada is an important National Park of Venezuela located between the states of Mérida and Barinas.

Created in 1952 by decree of President Suárez Flamerich Germain in order to protect the Sierra Nevada de Mérida in the Andean Cordillera With its creation becomes the second national park declared after Henri Pittier National Park which would begin the history of national parks in Venezuela 15 years ago.

The Sierra Nevada is an area of great ecological importance for Venezuela for the preservation of the ecosystem is the tallest in the country, there are localized high altitude mountain ranges of the Venezuelan Andes, including the Pico Bolívar the highest landform Venezuela with 5,007 m.

Its geography consists in two mountain ranges, the Santo Domingo one and the Sierra Nevada de Merida one, the last one is home of the highest summits of the country, the named "5 Aguilas Blancas" (5 white eagles), as the peaks are known: Bolivar, Humboldt, Bonpland, La Concha and el Espejo; they are named like that because of the permanent glaciers that surround them, being the ideal scenery for high mountain expeditions.

The vegetation of this National Park is really varied, from cloudy forest within 25 meters height trees, to Andes high bleaks (paramos) with the frailejones which can be more than 2 meters height. In what fauna refers, it is also very rich; it is habitat for endemic and threatens species, as the Oso Frontino and the Aguila Real (Frontine bear and Royal Eagle).

Lagoons, rivers, great summits, exotic fauna, diverse and rich vegetation, this National Park is a complete universe of possibilities, such scientific as tourist one. With the proper responsibility, coordination and common work it may be a strong income benefits and development source for the local communities and for the entire country, impelling scientific, biological, and botanical and tourist development among others.