Noel Kempff Mercado National Park Facts That Will Fascinate You

Bolivia has many protected areas covering 17% of the country at present.

These protected areas include national reserves, natural areas, and national parks. They are outstanding attractions for those visiting Bolivia, but their prime aim is to protect the fauna and flora of the areas.

Many of the protected areas in Bolivia were established only recently in response to incentives and pressure from global conservation groups. Despite many schemes to support the national parks, most of the protected areas are under threat from people looking for areas in the forest to clear and cultivate.

Travelers can experience rare wildlife encounters, ranging from adventurous treks and beautiful waterfalls to towering forest trees.

The five national parks which top the list in Bolivia are Madidi National Park, Sajama National Park, Amboro National Park, Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, and Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park.

Here are some more facts about one of the most fascinating, beautiful, and diverse national parks on the planet.

Discovery And History

The area now designated as the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park was initially explored by Percy Fawcett for a Bolivian government survey. The park was renamed Noel Kempff Mercado National Park in 1988.

It was named so as a posthumous homage to Noel Kempff Mercado, a Bolivian conservationist. The biologist is remembered for his discoveries and research in the park region and for his unfortunate death.

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is located in eastern Bolivia on the Brazilian border. It is a large park covering 1,523,446 ha (3,764,520 acres) of land and is located in the Amazon basin, with its limits determined mostly by rivers.

Less than 30 people lived in the park in 2000. The inhabitants were restricted to local communities until the end of the 19th century.

Between 1995 and 1999, approximately 800 travelers visited the park. By 2008, the park had grown to be an annual stop for companies specializing in arranging bird-watching groups and the number of visitors has been increasing with time.

The park was hardly researched until 1995, except for certain geological surveys conducted during the initial years of the 20th century. The site has now become the focus of research on the savanna forest boundary and its relationship to climate change.

The general objective of the formation of the park is to protect a natural area that was not polluted or industrialized. The isolation of the Cerrado habitats provided a study-ground ideal for living ecosystems.

The park management guarantees the protection of the habitat along with scientific research, allows visitors to enjoy its natural beauty, and helps residents to improve their lifestyles.

Cultural Heritage

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2000, by UNESCO. The park includes a viable population of various large vertebrates which are threatened globally, as well as an array of different habitats. The park was inscribed in the World Heritage List under the national criteria IX and X.

The site has a range of habitat types, which include palm forests, rain forests, semi-deciduous dry forests, and gallery forests. The Cerrado habitats on the Huanchaca Plateau were isolated for billions of years, enabling a ‘Living Lab’ for the research of the evolution of ecosystems. The site is also rich in diverse animal and plant species.

After the establishment of a climate action project in 1996, there were notable improvements for the indigenous communities there. Apart from providing legal assistance to local communities so that they could acquire titles to their traditional lands, they were also encouraged to participate in the Management Committee.

They were hired as carbon-monitoring technicians and as park guards to ensure their participation.

The local communities also had access to improved healthcare services, sanitation systems, potable water sources, and better education services including various scholarship programs. In 2005, the project became the first emission reduction project verified by international standards set by the Kyoto Protocol.

Conservation Of Animal Species

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is the largest protected forest and possibly the largest untouched Cerrado region left on Earth. The dry forests, swamps, pampas, and Cerrado protect a wide range of habitats, and vast faunal and floral diversity against a uniquely dramatic scenery.

The park shelters at least 139 species of mammals and 620 species of birds.

The most diverse species of birds in the Americas are found in this park. There are 34 reptile species, 254 fish species, and 62 types of amphibian species in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park.

The Park's avifauna is surveyed at 14 different locations, and the diversity of the park's species can be best seen in its humid forests. The park is well known for its threatened Amazon species, which have generated concerns regarding conservation.

There are nine species of macaws, red-throated piping guans, rusty-necked piculets, and 20 species of parrots. Even though the location is on the periphery of the Cerrado region, it is crucial for the conservation of birds in the habitats.

The herpetofauna species are present only in the Amazon area of Bolivia. The abundant larger reptiles are the side-necked turtle, the Caiman, and the Argentine lizard.

The most common amphibians are toads and tree frogs. The park is an area that protects geographically-restricted fish species and ichthyofauna, which comprise more than half of the Amazon species in Bolivia. The park also houses a large variety of insects, such as the Scarab beetle.

Protecting the trees in Bolivia not only saves animal habitats but also benefits the local communities in different ways. The main advantage here is that these conservation efforts help to regulate the world's climate. Deforestation alone is responsible for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

Regenerating ancient forests and preventing deforestation can reduce carbon dioxide in the environment and, in turn, protect biological diversity. The project for climate action started in late 1996, at Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, and is expected to mitigate huge amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, by preventing agricultural conversion and the logging of the land.

By reducing emissions and protecting the forest, the Noel Kempff Mercado Project conserves biodiversity and addresses issues of climate change. It also brings benefits to local communities by verifying, monitoring, and commercializing carbon offsets as a result of the project. Also, the project preserves a rich, diverse forest ecosystem for many species, including the Jaguar and the Brazilian Tapir.

Site Statistics

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, named after the pioneer of Bolivia's conservation movement, is the area where the Amazon forest islands meet the deciduous forest of Chiquitano. The park is revered for its unique beauty, its largely untouched vegetation, and its incredible biodiversity.

It is located 372.82 mi (600 km) to the northeast of Santa Cruz and is well-known for its pristine wilderness.

This World Heritage Site shares a border with Brazil and covers 16,000 sq km (6,177.63 sq m) of land, mainly in the Huanchaca Plateau and the lowlands surrounding it.

The Plateau is 31.06 mi (50 km) wide and 93.20 mi (150 km) long, with a total area of 17,611.02 sq km (6,800 sq m). There are two entrances with tourist facilities; Los Fierros on the southern side and Flor de Oro on the northern side.

The Plateau has stunning landscapes which feature numerous waterfalls, grasslands, clear creeks, and dry woodlands, enabling some beautiful experiences for nature lovers.

With an altitude between 218.72-1093.61 yd (200-1000 m), Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is noted for its diverse and varied habitats and topography.

It lies within various geographical and biological regions such as the dry forest in the south, Amazonia in the north, the Chiquitano to the west, and the Cerrado to the east. The area is covered by savanna wetlands, palm forests, open grasslands, lagoons, and varieties of fauna.

Enriched with striking geographical features and diversity of habitat, the 1.57 million ha (3.9 million acres) pristine parks are breathtaking and amazing.

Even though this magnificent area was explored in 1908 by Percy Fawcett, the legendary adventurer, it was declared a National Park officially only after 70 years.

The Bolivian Government called it Nacional Huanchaca Parque, but the name was changed in 1988, to the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park to honor Dr. Mercado, who campaigned tirelessly to protect the area, recognizing its global significance.

It is somewhat difficult to get into the park, but those who are willing to put in the effort will be rewarded with a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

FAQs

How many national parks are in Bolivia?

Bolivia has many national parks, which cover a wide range of ecosystems.

How do you get to Noel Kempff Mercado National Park?

You can travel from Santa Cruz City by aircraft or land, to get to one of the two entrances of the park.

What is so special about Noel Kempff Mercado National Park?

It is the most well-preserved and largest park in the Amazon basin. It is known for its rich mosaic of different habitat types, its wonderful unique beauty, and its biodiversity.

How old is Noel Kempff Mercado National Park?

The park has an evolutionary history of over a billion years, dating back to the Pre-Cambrian period. It was founded only on June 28, 1979, even though it was explored many years before, in 1908.

Who built Noel Kempff Mercado National Park?

The details of the builder of the park are not known, but it was explored in 1908, and founded in 1979.

What does Noel Kempff Mercado National Park signify?

The park helps to fight climate change by protecting the biodiversity of Bolivia. In 1996, the Bolivian government, incorporating other agencies, started a project on climate action to address carbon emissions in protected forest spaces.

What type of geographical feature is Noel Kempff Mercado National Park?

The vast park is filled with forests, flooded savannas, black water bays, thorn scrub, mesas, lagoons, rivers, and wetlands. It has striking geological features such as the Huanchaca Plateau and the breathtaking Ahlfed and Arco Waterfalls.

When did it become so famous?

The park became famous when the Noel Kempff Mercado Project for climate action started in late 1996.

What city is Noel Kempff Mercado National Park located in?

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is in northeast Santa Cruz in Bolivia, near the border of Brazil.