Venezuelan Andes montane forests
Venezuelan Andes montane forests (NT0175)
Where it is
The Venezuelan Andes montane forests are a natural area in the northern Andes of South America, mainly in Venezuela. It covers most of Mérida and Trujillo states, large parts of Táchira, and the highlands of Lara and Barinas, with a small area in Colombia. The ecoregion sits at the lower part of the Cordillera Occidental and blends into neighboring forests and scrublands around it. It includes the high Cordillera de Merida páramo on its high ground and rivers that carve deep valleys, such as the Chama, Santo Domingo, Boconó and Motatán. The Tamá Massif (a separate block) is also part of this ecological region.
What the climate and land are like
- Area: about 29,526 square kilometers (11,400 square miles)
- Elevation: from about 800 meters (2,600 ft) up to 4,000–5,000 meters (13,000–16,000 ft) in the high mountains
- Climate: warm temperate, fully humid, with a dry season (December–April) and a wet season (April–November)
- Temperature: typical annual averages of 24–12°C (75–54°F) at mid elevations; cooler higher up
- Rainfall: generally 2,000–3,000 mm per year, though it varies by slope and location
- Soils and geology: soils are mostly inceptisols, with some slopes having entisols; the rocks include quartzite schist, gneiss and limestone
Plants and habitats
This ecoregion sits in the Neotropical realm and is part of the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome. It contains two main forest types:
- Evergreen transition forests at lower elevations (about 800–2,000 m) with dense, multi-layered canopies
- Dense evergreen cloud forests at higher elevations (about 2,000–3,000 m) with many epiphytes and a rich understory
Endemic plants are common here. In Mérida, the ecoregion hosts about 155 endemic plant species, and the Tamá massif adds another 82 endemic plant species. Notable plant groups include Podocarpus, Retrophyllum and several other trees; the region is especially rich in orchids and bromeliads.
Animals and important species
- Mammals: four species are endemic to the montane forests and nearby páramos, including Gracilinanus dryas (wood sprite gracile opossum), Anoura luismanueli (Luis Manuel’s tailless bat), Thomasomys vestitus (Oldfield mouse), and Neusticomys mussoi (Musso’s fish-eating rat). Other notable species include the endangered Andean spectacled bear, and several threatened monkeys and rodents.
- Birds: about 25 endemic birds with restricted ranges, plus several restricted-range species in the Tamá massif. Endemic birds include amethyst-throated sunangel, grey-capped hemispingus, white-fronted whitestart, grey-naped antpitta, rose-crowned parakeet and Mérida flowerpiercer. Endangered birds include helmeted curassow, red siskin and black-and-chestnut eagle.
- Amphibians and reptiles: the ecoregion is especially rich in frogs, with about 62 species in the Mérida Cordillera; many are endemic to cloud forests and streams. The family groups Eleutherodactylus and Centrolenidae are common. Endangered frogs are listed, including several Aromobates species and others.
- A notable salamander species is Bolitoglossa orestes, endemic to the area.
Conservation status and threats
- Conservation status: Vulnerable
- Protected areas: about 20–21% of the ecoregion is under protection, including several national parks such as Guaramacal, Sierra Nevada, Sierra La Culata, Dinira and Yacambú in Venezuela. The Tamá National Natural Park (Colombia) and El Tamá National Park (Venezuela) protect part of the Tamá Massif.
- Threats: the main danger is habitat loss from migrant farmers who clear forests to farm and then move on. collection of orchids and bromeliads also affects some areas. There have been requests to allow mining in parts of Bailadores–Guaraque and nearby regions, and coal mining in the Táchira depression could threaten adjacent habitats. Tourism, fires and road or pipeline construction also pose risks to some parks and corridors.
Why it matters
This ecoregion acts as a vital ecological barrier between the Lake Maracaibo region and the Llanos (lowlands). It supports a high level of plant and animal endemism, serves as a refuge and a seed dispersal hub for many species, and hosts unique ecosystems that are increasingly under pressure from human activities.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:02 (CET).