VENEZUELA (Isla de Margarita, Los Roques, Canaima) - Radim Svechovsky 01/2013
Isla de Margarita - Temperature and humidity measuring
I spent two weeks in Venezuela in Janurary 2013. Most of my time I spent on Isla de Margarita Island to learn more about living conditions of two Gonatodes species - Gonatodes vittatus vittatus and Gonatodes sp. Isla de Margarita (Gonatodes machelae).
My accommodation was situated in the seaside area in the northern part of the Margarita island (alt. approx 40 m). I have measured temperature and humidity twice resp. three times a day there to find out what are these values in this lowland and to sea open and windy place which rather corresponded to Gonatodes vittatus vittatus habitat. It was organizationally impossible for me to collect similar set of air humidity measuring directly from Cerro el Copey. The national park was approx 15 - 20 km far (bee-line distance) from my hotel and I had to use the service of Czech (!) taxi she-driver to reach the park.
The day/night temperatures are pretty stable on this Venezuelan island all the year round and they do not vary too much. The max day temperatures measured in period 14/01 - 20/01/2013 were 29 - 31°C and they fell down to 24 - 25°C at night. As the day temperatures did not exceed 30°C/31°C I did register not a single day with unbearable heat as we all know it from Mediterranean or North African countries.
From the breeder's point of view I was pretty surprised as to the air humidity on the island. To my surprise numerous cloudlets were visible on the sky practically every morning, however, they usually disappeared before midday. Night or early morning short showers have occurred relatively often then. Nevertheless, measured humidity (regular morning and evening measuring in period 07/01 - 19/01/2013) was relatively stable 53% - 66%, too. Slightly elevated humidity I have measured either during the rain showers or just after them (70% - 72%). However, such elevated humidity fell down to normal values (less than 65%) pretty quickly.
I have organized and absolved two visits of Parque Nacional Cerro El Copey to see the typical habitat of species Gonatodes sp. Isla de Margarita (Gonatodes machelae). To my knowledge this species is endemic to Isla de Margarita and mainland Parque Nacional Península de Paria. I measured the humidity twice in park Cerro El Copey, too. The park covers the highest hill of the island named Cerro el Copey, it is wooded and scrubbed. Finally, I was not successful and I did not see Gonatodes machelae in situ.
Cerro el Copey National Park road entrance (blue road sign left)
Copey trees typical for this part of the island
Archipelago Los Roques
Second, only 36 hours long, flight trip I booked to learn what are the living conditions of Gonatodes vittatus roquensis.
Air view on part of Venezuelan archipelago Los Roques.
The flights frequency and daily number of visitors of the archipelago are very limited to protect beautiful nature in Los Roquensis National park.
Park entrance ticket
With the exception of main Grand Roque Island all other islands of the archipelago were quite flat and not too brush wooded. All islands were sunny and opened to Caribbean Sea. Confirmed habitation of Gonatodes vittatus roquensis I have is only from main island Grand Roque.
Characteristic underbrush of Los Roques islands.
The humidity measured on main island in a period of two days was 60% and 62% respectively. Two measured humidity values match well with vittatus species demands (lower in comparison with other Gonatodes species).
National park Canaima
The third place I visited (Canaima, Venezuelan mainland close to Brazilian borders) is the habitat for three more Gonatodes species - Gonatodes annularis, Gonatodes humeralis and Gonatodes alexandermendesi. The humidity was not measured during my stay there, but this place was definitely the most humid place I visited in Venezuela and it meets all characteristic signs of typical rain forest.
© 2014 Radim Svechovsky