Farallones de Cali is a cluster of mountains in the West Andes of Colombia. It is located west of the city of Cali and gives rise to many of the rivers that provide water and electricity to Cali. The PNN Farallones de Cali encompasses in the mountains as well as much of the Pacific slope and is an area of very high biodiversity. The average temperature ranges from in the tropical foothills to in the páramo. In this territory are located the district of Pichinde, Andes and Leonera, and two villages Penas Blancas and Lomas de la Cajita.
Climate and topography
Average yearly rainfall is in the Pacific region and in the mountainous sector. Plants growing in the area have sufficient water throughout the year.
The topography of the park is characterized by the high, craggy peaks, the highest being . These peaks are referred to as Los Farallones (which means cliffs), the namesake of the mountains and national park. The foothills on the eastern side meet the Cauca Valley and the city of Cali. On the west slope there are numerous river canyons that wind their way toward the Pacific Ocean.
The Farrallones are visible from the city of Cali.
Rivers
On the east slope the following rivers flow from the Farallones de Cali (from north to south): Cali, Pichindé, Cañaveralejo, Melendez, Lilí, Pance, and Jamundí. These river all flow into the Cauca River.
On the west slope there are many rivers flowing into the Pacific, but the main ones area the Dagua and Anchicayá. There is a hydroelectric dam on the Anchicayá River.
National Park and biodiversity
The PNN Farallones de Cali is the largest national park in the Valle del Cauca Department and was formed in 1968. The area is popular for hiking and birdwatching. Access from Cali is by two main routes: by way of the Pance River at the southern end or at the northern end via Peñas Blancas or the Pichindé River. Access to the Anchicayá area is via the town of El Queremal. The lowest altitude of the park is in the Pacific lowlands.
Ecological zones
Due to extreme height of the mountains and the nearby Pacific Ocean, which largely determines the climate in western Colombia, there are various ecosystems in the park such as lowland jungle, mountain cloud forest and páramo.
Tropical Wet to Humid Forest is located between and above sea level. It is characterized by tall rain forest trees and a canopy reaching up to . This area is on the western slope of the West Andes and is part of the Chocó Biogeographic Region. One of the key areas of biodiversity is centered around the upper Anchicayá River watershed.
Subtropical Cloud Forest is situated between and . The cloud forest is usually blanketed in fog and inside the forest it is extremely mossy with many epiphytes. This ecosystem is also referred to as Subandean Forest - Bosque Subandino.
Montane Forest is located between and . This high mountain forest is characterized by dense vegetation and a canopy that reaches up to . As the elevation increases the tree height generally decreases. This ecosystem is also referred to as Andean Forest - Bosque Andino.
Páramo is situated above the treeline at altitudes over . This ecosystem is geographically isolated from other Northern Andean páramos and is unique in the fact that it does not have the characteristic Espeletia plant of the Colombian páramo.
The ecosystems in the park face several threats including commercial logging, illegal mining, agriculture, tourism, forest fires, hunting and road construction.
Characteristic fauna
Birds
The Farallones de Cali is home to probably more than 300+ species of birds, including several endemic species such as the multicolored tanager (Chlorochrysa nitidissima), crested ant-tanager (Habia cristata) and chestnut wood-quail (Odontophorus hyperythrus). Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus) leks can be observed, the most famous being in the Peñas Blancas area of the Pichindé River valley. The avian diversity of the Anchicayá is world-renowned.
Mammals
Mammal species that are possible throughout the various habitats include: bats, squirrels, procyonids, anteaters, several felids, foxes, and marsupials. The spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) has suitable habitat on the western slope of the mountains and is listed as a vulnerable species.
Five primates species exist within the park: White-headed capuchin - Mono manicero Red howler Mantled howler Gray-bellied night monkey (Aotus lemurinus): listed as vulnerable; referred to as Marteja in Colombia. Colombian spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps rufiventris): listed as critically endangered; referred to as Marimonda in Colombia.