Mochima, Venezuela Photograph by Frank Angeli   Northern South America: North-central and coastal Venezuela Deserts and Xeric Shrublands   26,400 square miles (68,500 square kilometers) -- about the size of West Virginia Critical/Endangered

· A Desert Mosaic
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
More Photos

A Desert Mosaic

No two parts of this desert ecoregion are exactly alike. As the ecoregion stretches along the Caribbean coast of Venezuela, it moves from flat plains to hills to occasional mountains. Venezuelan llanos savanna gives way to dry forests in one area, moist forests in another area, and swamp and scrub habitats in yet another. Mangroves, lagoons, and sandy coastlines--as well as a patchwork of agricultural lands--contribute to this desert mosaic.

Special Features

This ecoregion is dominated by sparse dry desert scrub, but the abundance of different fringe habitats increases the number of species that occur here. Precipitation is a meager 4 to 12 inches (100 to 300 mm) annually, and is strongly seasonal. Vegetation is composed mostly of thicket, cactus, wiry bunch grass, and small trees. Patches of thorn forest also occur and include such species as mesquite, thorny acacia, dividivi, and croton. Columnar cactuses also dot the countryside, as do abundant "plate-leafed" cactuses. During the rainy season, many of the common leguminous trees bloom in a spectacular array of color.

	The abundant leguminous trees and shrubs in this habitat are vital to the production of nitrogen in the otherwise nutrient-poor, sandy soil.

Wild Side

A black-crested antshrike perches on the bean-like seedcase of a guabo querre tree as it watches the progress of a giant anteater, slowly walking by in search of a termite nest. A buffy hummingbird zips between the brilliant purple flowers on an andira tree, feeding on their nectar while avoiding the bees with which they share this nectar. In this hot desert, nightfall provides a refuge from the brutal sun, and many species become active between dusk and dawn. A dusky mouse opossum peeks its nose from a wood hollow in the top of an annona or custard apple tree, the fruits of which are a favorite of the Jamaican fruit bat. A spiny pocket mouse finds safety in the darkness as it scurries through cactuses and thickets, filling its cheek pockets with small seeds. At dawn, a jaguarundi ambushes a vesper mouse scampering toward its hideout. Nearby, the scarlet color of a vermilion cardinal makes the bird conspicuous among the orange-yellow flowers of a Bulnesia tree.

Cause for Concern

Grazing, frequent human-induced fires, the conversion of land to agriculture, and development threaten this ecoregion. Hunting and the collection of hardwoods, particularly mesquite, for cooking are also threats. In the north, urban sprawl is rapidly taking over much of the coastal habitat.

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