The Tayrona Park is made up of: 12,000 land hectares and 3,000 marine hectares, which makes it one of the areas with the greatest diversity of species throughout Colombia and South America.
FAUNA
The Tayrona National Natural Park is home to hundreds of species that daily roam the place in total freedom, taking into account that due to their great & nbsp; occupation many of these animals are hidden by the same human presence, the months that can be seen the most are May and September.
Terrestrial fauna
Within the terrestrial species we can highlight exotic and dangerous animals, as well as animals that we can see daily or in a more common way such as: Jaguar, Tigrillo, Ocelote, Ñeques, Zaínos, Guartinajas, Fox Dogs, Anteaters, Night Monkey, Howler Monkey , Squirrels, among others.
Aerial
The Tayrona Park is ideal for bird watching with more than 350 species that inhabit this place. The area is visited annually by groups that practice this activity in a professional way. The place is a refuge for all birds that migrate through South America and of many that live here, we can highlight the typical Caribbean ones or other strangers, the condor, the solitary eagle, the white eagle, Papa Mosca Real, Paujil, Guacamayas, Pavón Azul , Sephia, among others … it is worth noting that the inventory of avian species that we find in PNNT is not yet complete.
Marine Fauna
We cannot leave the other 3,000 marine hectares of the PNNT, which has been invaded by species from other waters of the world such as the famous and dangerous Lionfish. The characteristics of the Tayrona marine life have not been much altered or deeply studied, since because of its dangerous waters it is very difficult to access them but it has been determined that there are among more than 50 species of coral reefs, which is an excellent barrier to the waves and refuge for many species of fish. This helps the marine life to be very rich. In the waters that surround the PNNT we will find: Snapper, grouper, moray eel, gogo turtle, hawksbill turtle, parrot fish, among others. We emphasize that the Park is the destination every 6 months for turtles that travel the world and come to lay their eggs for the conservation of their species.
FLORA
The Tayrona National Park It is located in the northern and lower part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, which is comprised of humid and dry forests with low hills, cliffs and lots of beaches. We can immediately distinguish the white of its sands and the blue of its beaches that correspond to the Caribbean Sea. The climatic conditions of the Tayrona National Natural Park are ideal for a great diverse formation of vegetation, from cacti to huge trees. Vegetation of dry areas, sweet and salty wetlands and many more cover the entire park like a green blanket, we include fruit trees in this list.
Within this diversity we find: El Trupillo, Los Aromos, Dividivi, Cardón de Higo, Naranjo, Coconut Palm, Jobo, Mango Tree, Soursop Tree, Caracoli Tree, Icaco, Orchids.
Moisture the PNNT helps to conserve moist soil that helps in the seasons of little precipitation of water, which preserves the green throughout the year.
COMMUNITIES
At present, the Tayrona National Natural Park is not inhabited by any of the 4 ethnic groups that are located in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, of which the Tayrona Park is part as its lowest area.
The four indigenous ethnic groups (Kogui, Arhuaco , Wiwa and Kankuamo) have decided to settle at the top of the Sierra Nevada due to the high flow of younger brothers (as all the people who are outside their community are called) but this does not mean that the Tayrona Park does not make part of its reservation or ancestral territory. In it, there are sacred places where for a long time the indigenous people have practiced their rites and ceremonies and which must be protected and respected as one of the most important cultural heritages of humanity.
Koguis: Direct descendants of the Tayronas since Spanish times. Their beliefs affirm that they are our older brothers and live in the center of the world (the Sierra Nevada), for this reason they call us the younger brothers, who were banished long ago.
They are still established in the Sierra Nevada and throughout the territory it covers, such as Santa Marta, Valledupar, Riohacha etc. The Kogui have also been influenced by us, their younger brothers, but not in a relevant way to put aside their language and customs.
Kankuamos: It is the group that has lost its identity and culture the most, it was greatly influenced by civilization, which has made its mother tongue in danger of disappearing. They have been geographically established in sectors such as Los Kankuamo, Chemesquemena, Atánquez, Guatapuri and La Mina
Arhuacos: They like to inhabit areas near rivers for their survival, especially those on the western side of the Sierra Nevada. Their knowledge about nature is outstanding, they live much more organized and are in charge of taking care of the world and its cosmic cycle.
Although the majority of this ethnic group lives at the top, others have decided to come to civilization to learn from the new cultures and use that knowledge to move forward and preserve their culture and heritage.
Wiwa (warm) Located in the warmest and lower areas of the sierra since their specialty is agriculture for family and commercial consumption among the 4 ethnic groups and with the new civilization. But they are also recognized for producing fique, which is used in the creation of backpacks and hammocks. These 4 ethnic groups have the common characteristic that for them the center of the world is the Sierra Nevada, more specifically the snow-capped peaks, adding to this, the constant consumption of coca to support the arduous walks and as part of their daily and ceremonial rituals.