Finding Venezuela’s “Lost World” in Canaima

If you can’t go see the wonders of Venezuela’s “lost world” in Canaima National Park yourself, do the next best thing: watch this video from Public Television’s “Wild Chronicles.”

The five-minute documentary follows a group of Venezuelan biologists and researchers to one of the most delicate and diverse parts of the world to collect specimens. Along the way, they discover a new species of catfish, climb up into the forest canopy to check out plants, and delve into the dark world of bats.

All of this is part of a multi-disciplinary attempt to measure local biodiversity and use that knowledge to create policies for environmental preservation. Venezuela’s wild spaces are home to a vast amount of flora and fauna, a natural patrimony that is definitely worth saving.

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Another Celebrity Fan of Venezuela

Patty Boyd is the latest star to align herself with Venezuela.

In an interview, the former girlfriend of George Harrison and Eric Clapton told the Orlando Sun-Sentinel that Venezuela is her favorite place to visit of anywhere in the world.

“It’s gorgeous — the ever-changing terrain, mountains, valleys, vast waterfalls, rain forests, jungles and flat endless plains,” Boyd says.

She also remarks, “I found Venezuelans to be happy and charming people.”

It’s true — Venezuela is worth visiting for charm of its citizens as much as for its natural beauties. If you want ideas for where to go in Venezuela, visit our Travel Section.

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Venezuelan Orchids Grace South Florida Festival

The orchid is Venezuela’s national flower. It’s no surprise, then, that the country was well represented at the Redland Orchid Festival in South Florida this week. Seasoned growers of these perennial plants hailed from Caracas and Maracay.

The Miami Herald quoted Alexis Pardo, the Maracay horticulturist, as saying: “This is a wonderful festival, both for the collaborations and interchange between growers and the good prices everyone gets for the plants.”

There are an astounding 22,000 known species of orchids in the world. Venezuela’s prized flower is the Easter Orchid or Flor de Mayo, like the one pictured here. The festival also included varities from Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.

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