Lake Guri

Lake Guri

Lake Guri is Venezuela's largest water reservoir, which covers an area of 4,250 square kilometers and the country's second largest body of water in terms of extent and volume, second only to Lake Maracaibo. The Guri Reservoir owes its origins to the Guri Dam on the Caroní River. Lake Guri is located in the most pristine area of the country and many areas are ecologically fragile, including the soils, river flows, natural forests and savannah vegetation. Animal species threatened with extinction or extirpation are also found in the area. The development of Lake Guri for energy production has been controversial because of the displacement of indigenous tribes and wildlife. Built in two phases, the first phase was completed in 1974 and submerged thousands of square kilometers of forest, formerly known for its biodiversity. In addition, it submerged under 350 feet of water the only site where the newly discovered Carrizal Seedeater Tanager was ever seen. Local tribes worked non-stop to rescue as many animals as possible from the rising water in boats, but in fact some animals have not been seen since the flooding. The second phase of the flooding of Lake Guri was slower and many more wild animals escaped. Although National Geographic has studied the effects of overpopulation of certain primate species. On some islands, which used to be mountain tops, there are no large predators left in their new homes to keep them in check. This was a case where the search for renewable energy sources for economic reasons caused a considerable amount of environmental damage.