Chingaza National Natural Park

Chingaza National Natural Park is located in the Andean Natural Region of Colombia. It is situated in the Cordillera Occidental (eastern range) of the Colombian Andes; to the east of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense and northeast of Bogotá. Elevations range between 800 m (2,600 ft) to 4,020 m (13,190 ft) asl.

The protected area covers approximately 76,600 ha (189,000 acres) and is situated almost exclusively within the Orinoco River basin. Approximately 1% of its area is situated in the Magdalena River basin. It extends over seven Cundinamarca and four Meta municipalities.

Chingaza National Natural Park contains over 40 natural glacial lakes, the largest of which is Laguna Chingaza in the southwestern part of the park, at an altitude of 3,250 m (10,660 ft) asl. Other significant bodies of water are the Siecha Lakes, a group of three lakes in the municipality of Guasca.

Chuza Reservoir is also located here, in the basin of a tributary of the Guatiquía River. This reservoir is the center of the Bogotá Water Company's Chingaza System and contributes 80% of the city's drinking water.

Biology

Chingaza National Natural Park is located within the Tropical Andes region. High Andean, sub-Andean forest and moorland ecosystems are predominant in the area; havens for fora and fauna.

The fauna found within the park includes the spectacled bear, deer, tapirs, pumas, Andean condors, Cock-of-the-rocks, jaguars, turkeys, woolly monkeys, nocturnal monkeys, ocelots and toucans. A large number of endemic species makes the Cordillera Occidental one of the most important geographic regions for wildlife in Colombia.

In the vicinity of Chingaza Lake, approximately 383 species of plants have been recorded. However, it is estimated that the total flora of the park may exceed 2,000 species. There are eight species of peat moss, which can absorb up to 40 times their weight in water. Endemic species, such as frailejones, grow on the páramo and sometimes even within forests.

Culture

The Chingaza area has historical importance, with over 10,000 years of Muisca and pre-Muisca inhabitation in the region. Ponds, rock shelters, the mountains and the Siecha Lakes were sacred places of worship and respect, forming ceremonial centers.