Wild Venezuela

From the 9,000 species of birds inhabiting our planet, 40% are found in South America, making this the Bird Continent. Venezuela, a relatively small country the size of Texas and Oklahoma combined, can boast over 1,350 species.

The most interesting aspect of the study of birds are their ability to adapt to aquatic environments as well as their various breeding behaviors. Water birds in their natural habitat, showing the various techniques the individual species have developed to capture their prey. Breeding strategies of various species including storks, lapwings, thornbirds, flycatchers, thrushes, seedeaters and more.

If we exclude insects from the million animal species classified to-date, two-thirds of the remaining species inhabit the seas. Venezuela has 1,700 miles of shoreline, as well as numerous islands archipelagos in the Caribbean. Undersea Venezuela illustrates the fascinating richness of the reefs found in its waters. Fish and invertebrates, their individual characteristics, their behavioral patterns

Although neotropical fauna is characterized by an astounding wealth of species, it contains very few large mammals. But, the evolutionaty adaptation has led to gigantic rodents, including the largest in the world, the Capybara which may weigh 130 pounds. Natural history of the Capybara and includes previously unpublished images of the biology and behavious of this South American colossus.

Beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters, keys and islands, channels and mangroves, lagoons and salt ponds, sea birds, coral reefs, abundant marine life. This is Morrocoy, a marine and submarine National Park which has the most important mangrove system in the southern Caribbean. The marine and submarine fauna make it the most interesting ecological scene along the Venezuelan coastline.

The Llanos, a magical land of open plains, flooded in the rainy season & burnt dry during the other half of the year when no rain falls. It is the home of hundreds of animal species living in perfect harmony with this, their difficult environment. An incredible wealth of species native to the Llanos make it one of the greatest reservoirs of Venezuela. Habitats of savannas, bushes, woods & rivers.

Camouflage, inaccessibility, poison, flight, symbiosis, parasitism, hideaways, shields, forming groups, fleeing, spikes and knives, alarm calls, bright colours, distinctive smells, imitation, attack and defense, adapting to the night, adapting to man, form a complex mosaic of survival strategies developed by animals to assure their survival in nature.

All animal species are continually changing, both in their physical appearance and their behavior. It may take millions of years for these changes to come about. Those species that survive do so because during their long evolutionary process they have perfected certain strategies that permit them to develop successfully in their environment.

More than 25 ecosystems are to be found in Venezuela, including over 1,700 miles of shoreline & numerous offshore islands belonging to the Lesser Antilles, extensive mountain chains that form a part a part of the Andes with their stunning rain & cloud forests, the Orinoco Delta, the huge flood plains of the Llanos, the Lost World of the Guiana Shield, the ancient geological formations of Venezuela

When we hear the words Flora and Fauna, we invariably imagine remote areas where isolation has permitted a harmonious development of various species, far from man's reach and the uproar of his social and industrial organization. Although this is mostly true, there are numerous species that have adapted to man's presence and prosper with us as opposed to without us.

A cattle ranch, just like many of those that abound in the flooded plains of the Orinoco basin, is the location where an interesting development occurred, important to our natural world. Half a century ago, a rancher decided to share his cattle business with conservation of the wealthy fauna. Attempts to breed the Orinoco crocodile in captivity were made to save this endangered species

20,000 acres of cattle land houses a wealth of fauna on its savannas, lagoons & riparian forests. The environment of this region is shown throughout the life cycles of the most representative animals in the area, especially mammals, reptiles and some iconic birds. A scientific project on the wedge Capuchin monkeys, agoutis and many more are shown in closeups, including their behavior and relations

More than 350 species of birds inhabits the Masaguaral Ranch, making it one of the most sought after places for scientific study and observation. Bizarre and exotic birds are shown in impressive shots, including the southern lapwing, the thick-knee, the sunbittern, the burrowing owl, the creseted currasow, caciques, oropendolas, flycatchers, woodpeckers, kites, hawks, caracaras and many more.