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Sound:
Alma Llanera
(You can download it
here)
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What it is Isla de Aves? |
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Here
is an Aves Is. Video, it's Fauna, Ecology and History
(5:15min, 54,36 MB) |
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Isla de
Aves (Island
of Birds in spanish) is the most lonely
island into the Caribbean Sea, is a small and remote island
composite of sand and coral. It have some 400 meters
north to south direction and around 100 meters in
the widest point (north section) and 10m wide in
theat the narrowest point (central section).
Approximately 4.5ha (11.115 acre) of surface area
that this located in the Caribbean at west of the
islands of Leeward, on 15°40'18"N,
63°36'59"W,
at 110 km west of Guadalupe and Dominica. It has a
length that does not exceed the 150m and its maximum
point is 3m (9ft) over of sea level in
a calmed day.
In some occasions, during strong storms, the island
is submerged completely. On it is a military
base (pile-dwelling) settled by the naval forces, raised on piles to
protect it of the tides.
It is a possession of Venezuela since start of the
century. Some Caribbean states with the along of Dominica,
demand this island like part of this one, call by
them like Bird Island. Nevertheless, this
claim has not been recognized by Venezuela, since
the island represents a political-territorial
bastion of the republic, since it extends
territorial waters of Venezuela from our coast to
practically the center of the Caribbean Sea.
Any landing and stay on the island needs a special
permit of the Government in Caracas by the military
Navy forces. Landing is only possible by Venezuelan
people and some international guest invited (only
for Ham Radio or scientific proposes).
It is a place of rest and reproduction for the
marine birds and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas).
The island is compound of sand and some vegetations.
The area is dangerous for navigation and many boats
have been shipwrecked in their coast.
It does not have to be confused with The
Birds Archipelago in the Roques group, that is much more
near the Venezuelan Continental territory.
Aves Island's
Satellite Image |
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Mission |
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To extend the physical position and to constitute a
strongpoint to make scientific studies related to
the ecosystem with the purpose of guaranteeing the
national sovereignty and preserving the renewable
and nonrenewable resources of the zone. |
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History |
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The island was discovered by Avaro Sanzze in 1584
and demanded in name of Spain, but it was not
seated. This did that outside protested later by
Spain, United Kingdom, Portugal and the Netherlands.
Never before 1854, Venezuela had taken care of
Island of Birds; in fact, it had not incorporated it
like part of its territory, nor was indicated like
so in the official maps. Not even it appeared in the
geography of Agustín Codazzi, financed by the
Venezuelan government. So that the property of
Venezuela was not as incontrovertible as it has
wanted to suppose almost all the historiography that
had taken care of it.
The conflict that Holland interposed as of 1854, by
the possession of Island of Birds located to 500 kms.
of the Margarita Island, it was solved by means of I
render by arbitration that declared to the small
Island of Birds, like Venezuelan space, Isabel II of
Spain had been designated like referee to request of
both countries, in 1860.
After several years of study of the pleas, of
consultations between civil employees and
elaboration of several information, the high civil
employees of the Ministry of State, the Council of
State and the Cabinet gave their definitive opinion
before the queen, who dictated to sentence the 30 of
June of 1865 in favor of the Venezuelan rights on
the island.
From 1878 to 1912 He was exploded by American miners
of guano until exhausting the reserves of the
island. The 23 of August of 1972 the island declared
a sanctuary of the fauna, in 1978 the Venezuelan
Navy established a military trimming in the island
with the Navy-Scientific-Military Simón Bolivar
Base. The impact of the Allen Hurricane in 1980
divided the island in two parts, but the increase of
chorale in the island could reunify it. |
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Refuge of Fauna for the
Green Turtle
(Chelonia mydas) |
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From
year 1972, Island
of Birds is also a Refuge of Wild Fauna of Venezuela, where several species of birds and
turtles are protected mainly. That small island is
the area of greater importance for the reproduction
of the green turtle in Venezuela, and one of most
important anywhere in the world.
The studies that
have been made demonstrate that between 350 and 600
turtles females they mainly put his eggs in these
islands between the months of July to September.
Later the turtles travel towards areas of feeding in
other countries like Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico,
Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, and also towards
other parts of Venezuela like La Tortuga Island.
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Picture taken by Ing. Rodrigo
Lazo
rlazop@cantv.net |
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