Cueva del Guacharo

179910.2 km surveyedVenezuela

CountryVenezuela

RegionMonagas

Discovered1799

Size/Depth10.2 km surveyed

About Cueva del Guacharo

A huge limestone cave visited by Alexander von Humboldt in 1799. Home to vast colonies of oilbirds known as guacharos. The birds echolocate like bats to navigate the dark. Humboldt documented the traditional harvest of nestlings by local people. The visit influenced his ideas about animal adaptation. Venezuelas first national monument was created to protect the cave.

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