Noel Kempff Mercado National Park
Santa Cruz
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, located in northeast Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia, spans over 1.5 million hectares and includes the Huanchaca Plateau, one of the largest undisturbed cerrado ecosystems globally. The park lies on the Brazilian Shield and borders Brazil's Serra Ricardo Franco State Park. It features a mosaic of habitats including upland evergreen forest, deciduous forest, cerrado savanna, and wetlands, situated in a transition zone between Amazon rainforest and dry forest savanna. The region experiences a marked dry season and an average annual rainfall of 1,500 mm, with temperatures ranging from 10 °C in the dry season to around 25–26 °C annually. The park is recognized for its remarkable biodiversity, including viable populations of many globally threatened large vertebrates. Established in 1979 and renamed in honor of the biologist Noel Kempff Mercado in 1988, the park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 due to its outstanding ecological importance and conservation value. Its diverse ecosystems also provide insight into climatic and vegetation shifts over millennia, reflecting dynamic natural processes and the potential impacts of climate change.
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Tip: The best time to visit Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is during the dry season from June to September, when access and wildlife viewing conditions are optimal. Visitors are advised to arrange guided tours in advance due to the park's remote location and limited infrastructure. Booking permits or entry passes ahead of time is recommended. Visitors should prepare for variable temperatures, especially cooler nights in the dry season, and bring appropriate gear for diverse habitats. Discounts may be available for students or groups through official channels.
Zajímavosti
- •The Huanchaca Plateau within the park is one of the largest protected tracts of undisturbed cerrado in the world.
- •Percy Fawcett's 1908 expedition to the area inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's famous novel 'The Lost World.'
- •Noel Kempff Mercado, the park's namesake, was a biologist who was murdered in the park after uncovering a secret cocaine laboratory.
- •The park contains a unique transition zone where Amazon rainforest meets cerrado savanna and dry forest, creating diverse habitats.
- •Climate studies show that the region's rainforest has expanded over the last two to three millennia, replacing former savanna landscapes.
- •The park's ecosystems are vulnerable to climate change, which could reverse rainforest expansion due to increased fire frequency and drier conditions.
Historie
The area was first explored in 1908 by Percy Fawcett during a Bolivian government frontier survey; his findings inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's novel 'The Lost World.' The park was established on June 28, 1979, originally named Parque Nacional Huanchaca.
In 1988, it was renamed to honor Noel Kempff Mercado, a pioneering Bolivian biologist who was tragically murdered in the park by drug traffickers after discovering an illicit cocaine lab.
The park's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 recognized its exceptional biodiversity and ecological significance.
Průvodce po místě
Huanchaca Plateau (Huanchaca Meseta)
A vast 42,000-hectare plateau featuring one of the largest undisturbed cerrado ecosystems worldwide, offering unique landscapes and biodiversity.
Transition Zone Habitats
The park encompasses a mosaic of habitats including upland evergreen forest, deciduous forest, cerrado savanna, savanna wetlands, and forest wetlands, where Amazon rainforest and cerrado meet.
Kontakt
Telefon: 79853459