Viruá National Park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional do Viruá) is a national park located in the state of Roraima, Brazil. It helps protect an area with sandy soil that is not very rich in nutrients and is sometimes flooded. This area does not have economic value, but it is home to a large number of different plant and animal species.

Location

The Viruá National Park is located in the Caracaraí municipality of Roraima. It covers an area of 241,948 hectares (597,870 acres). The main river in the park is the Viruá Igarapé, a blackwater river with little sediment. This river flows into the Anauá River along the southern edge of the park. The Anauá River then flows into the Branco River, which forms the western boundary of the park. The Caracaraí Ecological Station and Niquiá Ecological Station are located on the opposite side of the Branco River. The park is bordered by the Baixo Rio Branco-Jauaperi Extractive Reserve to the south and the Anauá National Forest to the southeast.

History

The Viruá National Park was established by a government decree on April 29, 1998. It is classified as an IUCN protected area category II, which means it is a national park. The park’s goals include protecting natural environments that are important for nature and have beautiful scenery, as well as allowing scientific studies, education, environmental learning, outdoor recreation, and eco-tourism. The park is managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation. The conservation area is supported by the Amazon Region Protected Areas Program.

Public discussions about expanding the park began on November 4, 2010. A consultative council was formed on November 20, 2012. The management plan for the park was officially approved on April 17, 2014.

Environment

The park has a large area of sandy land and includes the Viruá alluvial "megafan." The soil has very few nutrients and is highly acidic. The area is not suitable for farming, grazing, or growing trees. The park experiences flooding during certain seasons. It contains many different types of habitats, including campinaranas and forests with open or closed tree canopies. These varied environments support a wide range of plant and animal life. The park is an important place for studying campinarana. Over 2,000 plant species have been identified, and scientists believe there are more than 5,000 in total. This makes the park one of the most botanically diverse protected areas in Brazil.