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The Waterfalls
A memorable experience and a spectacle of nature they are considered a wonder of the world These falls originated 200 thousands years ago in the place that today is known as “the 3 frontiers” marked with stone pillars, where the Iguazú river and the Paraná river meet
A geological fault produced on the Paraná riverbed made the outlet of the Iguazú river become an abrupt cascade approximately 80 meters high
From that point, where the falls originate to where the Devil’s Throat is located today, covers 23 kilometers This is due to the slow process of erosion, however the steep drop which defines them as waterfalls remains
This original cascade, has become the most impressive falls of the group, The Devil’s Throat Eighty meters high, it is located on the principal river course Depending on the water level, you can see anywhere between 160 a 260 falls, that on average flow at a rate of 1500 cubic meters of water per second
The violence of the falls produce a permanent fog, where sunbeams form multiple rainbows of incredible beauty
Iguazú National Park was created in 1934 by the 12103 law,and covers an area of approximately 67
620 hectares It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 owing to its beatifull landscapes and large biodiversity of the subtropical forest
This natural sanctuary is located in the far NE of the Republic of Argentina With large amounts of precipitation, warm temperatures (15ºC on average in winter and 30ºC in summer) and the thick vegetation acting as a windscreen, it experiences extremely high levels of humidity
The Iguazú river flows for approximately 1320km until its outlet in the Paraná Its width generally varies between 500 and 1000m however within the park it broadens to 1500 meters and it twists to the south, then back to the north, forming a huge U which contains the outlet A sudden drop in altitude here is the reason for the impressive water falls which form the main attraction of the park
In this large curved path, the rocky landscape fragments the river into a multitude of channels, each of these in turn become its own waterfall This long fragmenting effect results in the fan of falls which gives the park its name
The Park is reknowned for its natural heritage, which includes:
• A native flora with over 2000 species including: ferns, bromelias, orchids, palms and many large species of tree which serve as scaffolding for an equally large variety of climbing plants These in turn provides fruits which lure the local fauna such as coatíes and toucans to name a few examples
• 450 kinds of birds, wich can often be observed in the open in the early morning and at nightfall You can likely easily see toucans urracas teros, parrot and the incredible vencejos This last species is endemic to Iguazú Falls
• 80 kinds of mammals, with five varieties of felines roving the forest
• Countless insects, specifically an immense quantity and variety of colorful butterflies
• The numberless water courses, they are protect by yacares and grazas, and they are feed by minor fishes
One of the most significant conservation aspects is the protection of species which are endangered such as the jaguar (Panthera onca), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), the Black-fronted Piping-guan (Pipile jacutinga) to name a few These species continue to survive in the park and it is hoped that this protected environment will contribute to the recovery of their numbers |