Santa Marta Páramo

The Santa Marta páramo occurs above the treeline in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta on Colombia's Caribbean coast. This high moorland ecoregion belongs to the Páramo (Andean Moorland) biome and is South America's northernmost section of páramo.

This unique high-elevation "sky island" is found between the treeline, around 3,300 m (10,800 ft) and the snowline, about 5,000 m (16,000 ft), with some variations due to differences in slope, rainfall, and exposure to the wind and sun.

The Santa Marta páramo ecoregion has an area of 129,499 ha (320,000 acres). It is surrounded by the Santa Marta montane forests ecoregion, which in turn is surrounded by the Sinú Valley dry forests and Guajira-Baranquilla xeric scrub ecoregions.

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a roughly triangular massif with its north side parallel to the Caribbean Sea, the southwest side facing the swamps of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta and the southeast side facing the Serranía del Perijá mountains across the Cesar and Ranchería river valleys.

The northeast trade winds and rising moist air currents influence the climate. Most rains occur from May to September, with an estimated rainfall under 1,800 mm (70 in); the average annual air temperature is around 6 °C (43 °F). The northern side is more rugged and receives more rainfall than the southern side.

Flora and Fauna

The isolated position of the range has allowed unique species to evolve. Some are related to those found in Central America and the Caribbean coastal areas, and some to species from the Andes.

Variations in the appearance of the plant cover are one of the characteristics of the páramos in this ecoregion. The lower limit is called subpáramo, found between 3,000 - 3,500 m (9,800 - 11,500 ft), with scrublands and woody species that grade into the Andean forest.

The páramo Sensu strictu has a predominance of scrublands and low shrubs. The superpáramo between 4,500 - 4,800 m (14,700 - 15,700 ft) has grasses in cushions with scant vegetation coverage growing vegetation in patches and areas more protected from the wind.

Due to its isolation, various endemic flora and fauna occur here, including the genus Cabreriela, Castenedia, and Raouliopsis. The habitat is relatively stable but has been drastically changed from the original by long-term human activity.

Noted among the endemic fauna are the subspecies of brocket deer and puma: Venado de páramo (Mazana americana carrikeri) and león colorado (Felis concolor bangsi).

Birds include the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), Rufous-collared sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis), Fuegian Snipe (Gallinago stricklandii), and frailejón (Libanothamnus glossophyllus).

The Santa Marta Mountains have been recognized as an Endemic Bird Area. The páramos host several restricted-range species, including the black-backed thornbill, bearded helmet crest, and Santa Marta wren.

Protection Status

The Santa Marta Páramo ecoregion is included in the jurisdiction of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park; however, existing cattle grazing and agricultural development by the indigenous people have severely altered the landscape.

_{Map depicting the location of the Santa Marta páramo (in purple)}