Canaima and the Venezuelan Tepuis

Overview

Deep within southeastern Venezuela, Canaima National Park protects a vast tropical zone the size of Belgium. The area is divided between rainforests and two other ecosystems found exclusively on the Guiana plateau: the Gran Sabana and the rocky mesas called “tepuis”. While scientists document the extraordinary specificity of these territories, with their breathtaking panoramas, illegal mining on the park’s outskirts is threatening the fragile balance of the ecosystem.