The Paramillo National Natural Park

 

The Paramillo National Natural Park has an area of 504,014 hectares that preserve ecosystems of tropical rainforest, floodplains, Andean and sub-Andean forests, wetlands and paramos that are distributed in altitudinal floors ranging from 125 meters above sea level in its northern part to 3,960 meters above sea level in its southern part.

It is located in the jurisdiction of the departments of Córdoba and Antioquia in the municipalities of Tierralta, Puerto Libertador, Montelíbano, San José de Uré, Ituango, Dabeiba, and Peque.

In this protected area are born the Sinú, Manso, Tigre, Esmeralda and Verde rivers that make up the hydrographic subzone of the upper Sinú; the rivers San Jorge, Sucio, San Pedro and Uré that make up the hydrographic region of the upper San Jorge.

Other rivers that contain part of its upper basins within the Paramillo PNN are the Ituango, Tarazá and Peque rivers tributaries of the Cauca River basin, the Urama River tributary of the Sucio River in the Atrato basin.

It is the tenth largest protected area in the country, represents 4% of the area of the national territory and has a geostrategic importance thanks to the influence that the natural regions of the Caribbean, Andean and Pacific have on it. Its privileged location favors ecological connectivity and the conservation of several ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity and local, regional and national ecosystem services.

The Park is a great reservoir of biodiversity and it is estimated that in an area of no less than 10% of its extension, up to 1436 species of flora and fauna can be found and at least 20 of them are in the category of threat worldwide.

To date there are records of 755 species of flowering plants equivalent to 5% of what is registered for Colombia, among the most outstanding species are the abarco, cinnamon, masabalo, Nazarene, almond, bitter, canine, crystal coconut, laurel, baluster, cedar, cold earth oak, saithe, ceiba tolua, mahogany, brasilete or azulito, balsam among others. Some of these species are under some category of threat.