The Flooding Plains.

Stretching across Colombia and Venezuela, the Llanos is a vast tropical grassland that breathes with the rhythm of the Orinoco River.

The Llanos is a **physiographic basin** where the drainage is so poor that the region spends nearly half the year underwater. During the rainy season (May to October), the water level can rise by over a meter, turning the savanna into a temporary wetland. This creates a specialized ecosystem where land animals must become adept swimmers to survive the seasonal transition.

Hydrological Extremes

The transition from the wet to the dry season is brutal. As the water evaporates, the once-lush landscape turns into a dust bowl. Species have evolved unique survival mechanisms; the **Capybara**, the world’s largest rodent, stays close to the shrinking water holes, while the **Orinoco crocodile** aestivates in the mud to stay cool and moist until the rains return.

The Moriche Palm

Scattered throughout the Llanos are 'islands' of **Moriche palms** (Mauritia flexuosa). These palms are known as the "tree of life" because they provide essential food and nesting sites for macaws, monkeys, and humans alike. They grow in the permanent depressions that remain wet year-round, serving as biological anchors in the shifting landscape.