Morichal de Morganito, Venezuela

We did a colossal work assembling the biotope almost to scale of the reflected area. But in order to understand this biotope well it is necessary to explain its characteristics: What is a Morichal?

Morichales get their name from the Moriche Palm (Mauritia flexuosa) which is a palm which only grows and thrives where its roots can be underwater. Morichales is just the name given in Spanish to a large group of Moriche Palms.

As Morichales usually get their water from underground water springs, they maintain the crystal clear water all year round. They are places teeming with life where we find one of the highest concentrations of animal and plant species.

It is very difficult to find small or medium size rocks; rather, its rocks are the size of a football field. It is an environment comparable to the oasis in the desert where you only see sand and suddenly you come across of a wooden area full of water and life but in this case you will see plains of tall grass and suddenly find this tropical forests full of palm, trees and marsh plants.

The place where they are located is so flat that if you had an eagle’s eye view you could cross from Colombia to Venezuela. These springs, the Morichales, are the arteries that carry their waters to the main channel, the colossal Orinoco River and serve as habitat for small fish such as tetras and Apistogramma, where large predators feed and where their small fry grow to maturity.

This is one of the places where we can find huge underwater diversity and because of its unique characteristics we can study and photograph.