The llanos Savannas

The llanos Savannas

The llanos savannas conform one of the landscapes of more visual impact in the Venezuelan llanos. In them, sighting up to the horizon, we can see the clouds conforming the storm and invading the skies ready to wet the grassland soil; we can often see the smoke of grassland fires turning into gray the savanna profile; we can see the herons in flight and the scarlet ibis, passing by over our heads.

Six months of drought followed by six months of precipitations, make of the llanos savannas an environment of extreme life conditions. The thin mat of grassy vegetation, obeys to a -less than a meter deep- impenetrable hard pan, that doesn't allow the growth of very large trees. Under these hard, and impenetrable soils, roots simply do not reach the water.

There are many types of savannas in the Venezuelan plains. The picture shows the savannas of Mesa de Guanipa, in the center of Anzoátegui state. The dominant vegetation is the “hairy straw”, (the Trachipogon of the botanists) growing in tight bunches and covering large spaces in which, from time to time, a small fire resistant tree grows. These are the chaparros and alcornoques, covered by a corky protective stem surface resistant to grass fires so frequent in the dry season.

The flora is represented by herbs and a chaparros strata in the savanna. In the isolated forests called “Matas” and riversides, trees grow larger. The Moriche palm grows n the flooded areas of the savannas. White tail deer, rabbits and many species of birds populate these dream places. Man has used them for hunting and for the extensive cultivation of cattle.