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Country Wildlife Response Profiles
VENEZUELA
A Summary of oiled wildlife response
arrangements and resources worldwide
VERSION
9/22/2009
Introduction
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is located in the North of South America bordering Colombia to the west,
Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south and the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean to the north. Trinidad and
Tobago, Grenada, St. Lucia, Barbados, Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the
Leeward Antilles lie just north off the Venezuelan coast.
The coastline, with a total length of 2,800 km, includes the mainland coastline and the coastline of more than
314 islands, islets and keys including the following islands: Aves, Blanquilla, Coche, Cubagua, La Sola, La
Tortuga, Los Testigos, Margarita and La Orchila and the following archipelagos: Las Aves, Los Frailes, Los
Hermanos , Los Monjes and Los Roques. The most representative ecosystems of the Venezuelan coast are
sandy beaches, rocky shores, soft bottom communities, seagrass beds, coral reefs, mangroves and coastal
lagoons. Five Ramsar sites are to be found along the Venezuelan coast (Archipiélago Los Roques, Refugio de
fauna silvestre Cuare, Refugio de fauna silvestre Ciénaga de Los Olivitos, Laguna de la Restinga and Laguna
de Tacarigua).
The Orinoco Delta, in the north eastern part of the country, is considered as the seventh wetland in the world.
The delta occupies 87.650 km2 and it is made up of a complex group of freshwater, estuarine and marine
ecosystems (Miloslavich et al., 2003). The delta hosts an immense diversity of fauna and flora, however, these
have been poorly studied. The Orinoco oil belt also lies on the Orinoco River and it is known as one of the
largest accumulation of bitumen in the world.
Mangrove forests cover an area of approximately 673,000 ha along the coastline, the greatest areas of
mangrove being located in the Orinoco Delta and the Gulf of Paria (Miloslavich et al., 2003). These extensive
and pristine mangrove forests are structurally complex reaching heights of 35 to 40 m. The rest of the
mangrove forests are located mainly in the Gulf of Venezuela and on the central-western and central-eastern
coasts. Small patches are also found in the islands, islets and keys offshore.
Four species of seaturttles nest on the Venezuelan coast, green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys
coriacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles. The olive ridley sea
turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) has often been found in Margarita Island, off the north eastern coast. Amongst
the cetaceans very often sighted in Venezuelan waters are the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncates), the
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis), the spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris), the long-beaked common
dolphin (Delphinus capensis) and the short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus). The gray dolphin
(Sotalia sp.) has been sighted along the coast as well as in the Maracaibo Lake. The killer whale (Orcinus
orca), the false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) and the Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera brydei) have been
rarely sighted in Venezuelan waters.
The Caribbean Manatee (Trichechus manatus) has also been observed along the coast, mainly in the eastern
part of the country in the Orinoco river delta and Paria Gulf. The Venezuelan coast is also home to the
American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) found in brackish water systems such as coastal lagoons, mangroves
and the Maracaibo lake.
Venezuela hosts around 1,300 species of residents and migratory birds out of which 40 are seabirds. Among
theses, the most abundant are the brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), the black-capped Petrels
(Pterodroma hasitata), Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus), the Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata
magnificens), six species of gulls (Larus sp.) and three species of Bobbies (Sula sp.). The Caribbean Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber) is also common to the Venezuelan coast since its one of its breeding habitats.
Significant migratory birds include the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) and
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This Country Wildlife Profile is subject to the accompanying Terms and Conditions
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Country Wildlife Response Profiles
VENEZUELA
A Summary of oiled wildlife response
arrangements and resources worldwide
the Merlin (Falco columbarius). Abundant ducks are the White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata),
Black-bellied Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis), the Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) and the Fulvous
Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor).
Venezuela, considered as one of the top ten oil producers in the World, has the largest oil reserves in the
Western Hemisphere. Out of the 51 Venezuelan ports, 16 are exclusively used as oil ports. Maracaibo Lake, a
brackish water lake connected to the sea, comprises the largest and oldest oil fields in the country with more
than 75 years of oil production. The lake is heavily polluted and has been affected by many oil spills in the last
decades.
While the oil production in Venezuela has mainly taken place in land, in the last years the government has
invested heavily in offshore exploration. In the eastern part of the country, the PDVSA Industrial Complex Gran
Mariscal de Ayacucho (CIGMA) comprises the Plataforma Deltana in the Orinoco Delta, the Mariscal Sucre
complex and the fields of La Tortuga and La Blanquilla Este, offshore the eastern Venezuelan coast. This
industrial complex also includes the construction of several gas pipelines and a refinery in Güiria.
Another on-going offshore exploration is the Rafael Urdaneta project. This complex is located in the Gulf of
Venezuela, offshore the western coast of the country. The Gulf of Venezuela is also subject to heavy traffic of
tankers due to its proximity to Maracaibo Lake.
Regional Seas
Caribbean Sea
Past experience
Venezuela has experienced one major oil spill, Nissos Amorgos (1997). However, in Maracaibo Lake spills
occur regularly from the oil wells in the area. During December 2002, January and February, 2003 extensive oil
spills were recorded in the lake due to a few accidents of the oil industry operating in the area. Another source
of oil spills in the lake is spills of crude oil in Colombian rivers discharging their waters into the lake. These spills
are caused by “guerrillas” groups’ attacks on Colombian oil pipelines. There is no record that fauna has been
affected.
In many occasions, the sources of the spills along the coast and in the lake have not been identified. In June
2007, an oil spill was reported along 50 km in the eastern coast of the country close to Güiria. However, the
source and the quantity of the oil spilled were never identified. It is unclear if seabirds were found dead or not,
the testimonies diverge. However, sea turtles were seen sighted slightly covered in oil.
Response: the role of the authorities
The competent authority for oil spill response, the Venezuelan aquatic authority (Instituto Nacional de los
Espacios Acuáticos e Insulares, INEA) part of the Ministry of Infrastructure, is at the moment developing a
National System for the prevention and fight against oil spills and contaminant substances (Sistema Nacional
de Prevención y Lucha contra Derrames de Hidrocarburos y otras Sustancias Contaminantes
(SNPLCDHOSC)). The department of Integral Security of the INEA is in charge of drafting this national system.
The INEA is then in charge of the coordination of this system through the National Technical and Operational
Committees. The system also includes:
•
The Ministry of Environment which provides the legal and institutional instruments.
•
The Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs through Civil Defense which provides with the logistical and
operational support and coordinates the response with municipalities and governorates.
•
The Ministry of Energy and Oil which provides the official source and type of oil.
•
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs which coordinates the international response and activities.
•
The National Institute for the Prevention, Health and Labor Security which coordinates the emergency
control systems at the industries.
•
The Ministry of Health which provides with an efficient chemical and toxicological information system.
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This Country Wildlife Profile is subject to the accompanying Terms and Conditions
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Country Wildlife Response Profiles
VENEZUELA
A Summary of oiled wildlife response
arrangements and resources worldwide
•
The Ministry of Defense which provides logistical support and a strategy with equipment, personal for
the surveillance and security of the facilities.
•
The Ministry of Infrastructure which gives support during rescue operations and coordinates the units of
marine and aeronautical firefighters and of terrestrial, marine and air transit.
•
The Associations of chemical industries representing the National Chemical Industry.
•
The Navy and National Guard which provides logistical support at the time of emergencies in marine,
fluvial and lacustrine areas and gives support with weather, hydrological and oceanographic information.
•
The national oil company (PDVSA) and the national oil industry which provide with expertise,
technology, local and regional plans and assistance systems, as well as the resources already in place.
The system covers oils spills (and other contaminants substances) in marine, lacustrine and fluvial waters and
divides the territory in 7 geographical areas. It also foresees the development of environmental sensitivity
maps, however, these have not been done yet.
The Venezuelan oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) has had a National Contingency Plan in
place since 1986, updated in 1997 which was assigned by presidential decree. However, this plan only covers
the areas where PDVSA is active. Nevertheless, all oil companies operating in the country are obliged to have
in place a contingency plan for oil spills. This plan includes for all coastal areas, sensitivity maps. Currently, the
PDVSA plan falls under the INEA National System.
Even though neither the PDVSA National Contingency Plan nor the current National System draft includes an
oiled wildlife response, the responsibility would fall under the National Office of Biological diversity in
coordination with the Headships of Environmental Quality and Surveillance and Quality Control of the Ministry
of Environment.
Oiled wildlife response
Formal guidelines?
No formal policy or oiled wildlife plan has been defined, integrated or foreseen in the National System for the
prevention and fight against oil spills and contaminant substances.
Response objectives and strategy
There is no pre-defined strategy or objectives for an oiled wildlife response.
Euthanasia or rehabilitation?
It is expected that the Ministry of Environment in cooperation with NGOs, universities and other civil society
organizations will rehabilitate the oiled animals due to pressure of the civil society.
Impact assessment
The Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research (Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones científicas (IVIC)) and
its Ecology Center and its Ocenaography and Coastal Sciences department, under the Science and
Technology Ministry, is in charge of research in the areas of biology, ecology and biodiversity conservation,
among others. Possibly they would be involved in the assessment of the impact of an oiled wildlife event.
Probably the following universities would be an useful source of information and would get involved in the
assessment of the impact after an oiled wildlife incident in Venezuelan waters: the Universidad Central de
Venezuela and its Faculty of veterinary sciences and of Agronomy, the Laboratory of conservation and
management of wildlife, the Department of Biology of Organisms, the Department of Environmental Studies
and INTECMAR (Technology and Marine Sciences Institute) of Simón Bolívar University, the Biology
Department of Zulia University as well as the Department of Agro and Sea sciences of the Oriente University.
The Station of Marine Research of Margarita (Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita EDIMAR) of
Fundación La Salle undertakes research on the marine environment, mainly on fisheries, oceanography,
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This Country Wildlife Profile is subject to the accompanying Terms and Conditions
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Country Wildlife Response Profiles
VENEZUELA
A Summary of oiled wildlife response
arrangements and resources worldwide
marine biology, among others. It counts with a large facility in Margarita Island including pools for culture
covering one hectare and an area with reproduction pools covering 2,500 square meters. The station includes
an oceanographic vessel of 25 meters long with navigation and scientific equipments as well as other small
vessels. Additionally, the station is in charge of a meteorological and a tidal station.
The Cetaceans research centre (Centro de investigaciones de Cetáceos (CIC)) is involved with research on
cetaceans in Venezuelan waters. It also counts with expertise on rehabilitation of stranded cetaceans and their
post release as well as the necropsy of dead cetaceans.
In the case of the occurrence of an oil spill in Maracaibo Lake, probably the governmental institution, the
Institute for the Conservation of the Maracaibo Lake (Instituto para la Conservacion del Lago de Maracaibo
(ICLAM)) would also get involved in the impact assessment.
Notification and early response
It is expected that in the case of an oiled wildlife incident, environmental NGOs or other civil society
organizations would notify authorities and put pressure on the oil companies and authorities. They would also
notify the media.
Wildlife responders
In the case of an oiled wildlife incident, probably a few NGOs and universities would get involved and/or serve
as useful information source.
Environmental NGOs
FUDENA – Fundación para la Defensa de la Naturaleza – is an NGO that aims to contribute to the
conservation of natural resources and the environment. Each year and since around 18 years ago, on the
Beaches World’s day FUDENA coordinates a volunteer action to clean up the Venezuelan beaches organized
by different coordination groups per state. The aim, besides cleaning the beaches, is to raise awareness on the
impact of humans on the environment. According to the last numbers recorded, 13,000 volunteers were
registered. Due to this, it could be expected that during an oiled wildlife event FUDENA would mobilize its
network of volunteers and partner associations.
Provita, as well involved in Fudena’s beach initiative, aims to contribute to environmental conservation with a
focus on endangered species and habitats. They have wide knowledge on habitats and species along the
Venezuelan coast and have been involved in several projects including the study and conservation of sea
turtles, mapping of habitats, assistance with national parks establishment, among others (ProCostas projects
and BioInsula projects). Additionally, they have been publishing and updating for longer than 13 years the
Venezuelan Fauna Red Book.
Vitalis, also part of Fudena’s Beaches World’s day volunteer action, is another environmental NGO focusing on
environmental education for the conservation of nature and sustainable development. Fundación Tierra Viva
another environmental NGO promotes and undertakes projects for sustainable development in Venezuela.
The Biological Station Dr. Alberto Fernandez Yepez (Estación Biológica "Dr. Alberto Fernández Yépez")
located in the National Park Henri Pittier is a premise of the Central University (under the Faculty of Agronomy)
in Caracas. The station aims to assist researchers and professors as well as to educate the general public on
the ecosystems and species of the national park. It also undertakes research on bird migration dynamics and
monitoring.
Sea turtles
CICTMAR is an NGO that implements a conservation and research project since 1999, in cooperation with the
Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), on the sea turtle leatherback (Dermochelys
coriacea), which nests on the Paria Peninsula. The project mainly monitors the nesting periods, the nests and
© Sea Alarm Foundation, 2010
This Country Wildlife Profile is subject to the accompanying Terms and Conditions
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Country Wildlife Response Profiles
VENEZUELA
A Summary of oiled wildlife response
arrangements and resources worldwide
the reproductive cycles of the turtles. It also aims to raise awareness and educate the population about the
endangered status of the sea turtles. They could play an important role if an oil wildlife incident would occur on
the Paria peninsula.
Provita has also cooperated with the Working group on Turtles in the Nueva Esparta State. This working group
works on reproductive biology research and conservation efforts of the sea turtles in Margarita Island.
Additionally, they have expertise on sea turtles rehabilitation.
The Los Roques Scientific Foundation (Fundación Científica Los Roques), located in the National Park
“Archipelago Los Roques”, aims to promote and develop environmental research, conservation and education
about the national park. It manages the Marine Biology Center in Dos Mosquises which has a centre for
breeding turtles, which is one of the activities of the foundation.
Cetaceans
The Venezuelan Society of Ecological Marine Life (Sociedad Ecológica Venezolana Vida Marina "Sea Vida")
promotes and develops different activities and projects in research, environmental education, training and
international scientific exchange at a national level and at an international level for the conservation of
cetaceans and its habitats in Venezuelan waters.
Birds
The Venezuelan Society of Conservation Audubon (Sociedad Conservacionista Audubon de Venezuela)
promotes the conservation of birds and their habitats in Venezuela. It undertakes research projects and
educational campaigns. With the cooperation of Birdlife International, Audubon conducted and published an
extensive research on the different areas of primary importance for the conservation of birds in Venezuela.
Some universities may play an important role during and after an oiled wildlife incident: see the previous entry
under impact assessment.
© Sea Alarm Foundation, 2010
This Country Wildlife Profile is subject to the accompanying Terms and Conditions
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