LOS LLANOS

The Capanaparo River

LLANOS

The Venezuelan "llanos" or plains are located in the center of the country, in a depression which lies between the northern mountain ranges along the Caribbean Coast and the Guyana Shield. They begin at the Orinoco Delta and extend west as far as the Andes. It is a flat, lonely, empty land. There are countless gigantic "hatos" or cattle ranches, most of which are privately owned. Very little of the land is fenced. This is the grazing ground of the nation covering 300.000.

In the "low llanos", in the southern parts as well as all the Apure state, we have two seasons: the "summer" or dry season (December-May) and the "winter" or rainy season (June-November). The dry season is the best time to go there to view wildlife. As the land dries up, animals are found in greater concentration around the receding watering holes.
It is a region teeming with wildlife: freshwater dolphins and porpoises, alligators and crocodiles, anacondas, turtles, deer, armadillos, capybaras, monkeys, and an unbelievable number of birds: ducks, quails, hawks, herons, white, black and scarlet ibises, Orinoco geese, storks and the strange Hoatzin, who climbs in the trees using claws grown on his wings; jabirus and many more.

Cattle ranch in the "Llanos"