February | 2012 |

Amboró National Park:

An Unspoiled Wilderness, by Jonathan Derksen

Part I

Dawn’s arrival over the wilderness is accompanied by the sounds of the

awakening jungle. High in the treetops, pairs of toucans greet the morning with

shrill whistles; in the canopy mara trees, howlers groan; on the forest floor,

peccaries and horned curassows search for breakfast. This is Amboró, a three

hour drive west of Santa Cruz that will take the adventurer into one of the

most pristine tropical habitats in the world.

Amboró National Park, covering an area of 630,000 hectares, lies within

three distinct ecosystems: the foothills of the Andes,, the northern Chaco and

the Amazon Basin. Due to this unique geographical location, the park boasts an

incredible variety of flora and fauna. There are many species valued for their

wood, such as the mara. Other plants include the giant fern, the chonta palm,

bamboo and a variety of bromelias and orchids.

The park also contains a divers animal population. Perhaps the most

impressive feature is the number of birds that inhabit the area, including

chestnut-fronted macaws, cuvier toucans and the rare horned curassows, quetzals,

and cock of the rocks. According to the park zoologist, the bird species count

has already passed 700 and is growing. Most mammals native to Amazonia are also

represented.

To be continued…

Published by Discovering Bolivia – The Travelers’ Magazine – numer 3

January – February 1997

Month: February 2012