Satellite view of the Sinú Valley dry forests, Colombia Photograph by USGS   Northern South America: Northern Colombia Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests   9,700 square miles (25,000 square kilometers) -- about the size of Maryland Critical/Endangered

· Natural and Cultural Riches
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Natural and Cultural Riches

Visit the Sinú Valley in northern Colombia and you won't just be visiting an extraordinary place for plant and animal diversity--the home of fruiting trees, orchids, migrating birds, deer, and wild cats. You'll also be visiting the homeland of the extinct indigenous Zenú culture, famous for its highly advanced agricultural irrigation canals and its gold work.

Special Features

Annual flooding of the Sinú River delivers nutrient-rich silt to this region, making its soils among the richest in Colombia. The rainfall is highly seasonal, with a dry period between January and March and a rainy season between April and December. An average of 45 to 60 inches (1,000 to 1,500 mm) of rain falls in the region every year. The average annual temperature is between 82° F and 86° F (28° and 30°C). Centuries ago, the native Zenú Indians transformed the landscape into agricultural lands and savanna. Today much of the valley is covered by grasslands for cattle ranching and by crops such as cotton, soybeans, rice, papaya, and watermelon. Moist forests cover the upper parts of the mountains, and the Caribbean Sea borders the region to the north.

	The jaguarundi is a unique cat. Not only does it have its own genus (Herpailurus), but it is one of only two American wild cats without spots, and is roughly the size of a large weasel.

Wild Side

This ecoregion is known for its tremendous biological richness. Due to the number of lagoons, marshes, swamps, and mangroves on the coast, and its location in the northernmost part of the continent, the valley is the destination for many migratory birds of prey, waterfowl, and songbirds. Also, important populations of native waterfowl and fishes inhabit these wetlands. The largest rodent in the world, the capybara lives here alongside the West Indian manatee and caiman. The savanna deer lives together with the puma and several other carnivores such as the crab-eating raccoon and the jaguarundi. The moist forests surrounding the valley are home to two species of tapir, the spectacled bear, giant anteater, jaguar, ocelot, brocket deer, spider monkey, cotton top tamarin, and white-lipped peccary, as well as the harpy eagle, blue-billed currasow, and green macaw.

Cause for Concern

Very little natural habitat remains in this region due to deforestation for cattle ranching and agriculture, damming of the river for large hydroelectric projects, and draining of wetlands. But in the mountains and in the upper Sinú, the forest cover is still considerable, and the establishment of a national park helps to protect this area.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.