The Serra das Confusões National Park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões) is located in the state of Piauí, Brazil.
Geography
The Serra das Confusões National Park is located in the municipalities of Alvorada do Gurguéia, Brejo do Piauí, Bom Jesus, Canto do Buriti, Caracol, Cristino Castro, Guaribas, Jurema, Santa Luz, and Tamboril do Piauí in the state of Piauí. It covers an area of 823,843.08 hectares (2,035,760.6 acres).
The park is situated in the Piauí-Maranhão sedimentary basin plateau, a part of the Parnaíba basin that has been raised up. The rock beneath the surface is mostly sandstone and shale, formed between the Devonian and Triassic periods.
The land is mostly flat, with sandstone plateaus and nearby low areas in the Parnaíba depression. Heights range from 350 to 660 metres (1,150 to 2,170 feet), with an average height of 600 metres (2,000 feet). Lower areas are more uneven, with rocks forming small caves and water springs. The Itaueira River, which flows only sometimes, begins within the park.
The average yearly rainfall is 650 millimetres (26 inches). Temperatures range from 12 to 40 °C (54 to 104 °F), with an average of 28 °C (82 °F).
Ecology
The park is located in the Caatinga biome. In the lower areas, rainforest trees grow up to 20 metres (66 ft) tall. At higher elevations, trees are shorter, averaging about 6 metres (20 ft). In the wetter valleys, plants such as bromeliads and ferns grow, along with some large trees.
Thirteen of the eighteen animal species that are found only in the Caatinga biome have been identified in the park. Scientists have discovered three new lizard species, one new amphibian, and one new turtle species. Animals protected in the park include the jaguar (Panthera onca), cougar (Puma concolor), giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus), Brazilian three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus), white-browed guan (Penelope jacucaca), and bearded bellbird (Procnias averano).
Administrative history
The Serra das Confusões National Park was established by a government order on October 2, 1998. It is managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation. The park is classified as an IUCN protected area category II, which means it is a national park. Its purpose is to protect a natural area that is very important for the environment and has beautiful views. It also helps with scientific studies, teaches people about the environment, and allows activities like hiking and eco-tourism. The Capivara-Confusões Ecological Corridor, created in 2006, connects the park to the Serra da Capivara National Park.