That's how I discovered the Rancho Grande Biological Station Museum

Hello, friends of the Worldmappin community. It is a pleasure to be here again after a few weeks since my last post. This time, I would like to share with you a brief and quite interesting tour I took today in my city. As I have told you before, lately I have been consuming a little more information on social media, and that is how I came across a place on Instagram that I must confess I had never been to, even though I live near there. That is why I also want to emphasize the importance of tourism and raising awareness of these places that are so important to our city and country, because sometimes we forget about them and pass them by without paying attention.

This place is in Maracay, Aragua state, to be more specific in Limón via the Ocumare coast. It's called the Rancho Grande Biological Station Museum. To be honest, when we go to the beach as a family via this route, I do pass by it, but I never thought to stop and see what it was like.

So I decided to go and see it for myself, as I saw on Instagram that there were many stuffed animals on display, all of which live in Henry Pittier National Park. I was also intrigued by the fact that this museum was previously located higher up at the Rancho Grande Biological Station, home to many birds, reptiles, mammals, and one that caught my attention in particular: the howler monkey.

The fact is that it is one of the largest collections of animal specimens, and I must say that when I arrived at this place, I did not expect everything I saw. Although it is relatively new in this area, as it was previously located elsewhere, climatic issues meant that this small museum had to be set up. When I arrived, I was greeted by a friendly man who works as a security guard. He gave us a short tour, and it was interesting to see all the flora and green nature that I love so much, as well as the cool mountain climate, since this museum is located on a mountain top.

We entered a place set up to display a large number of stuffed animals. To be honest, I was very surprised and felt strange seeing those animals as if they were still alive. There were all kinds: crocodiles, sloths, eagles... I also felt nostalgic seeing them, even though it may sound silly. I must say that it is very important and makes me think about the things that surround us and that we do not yet appreciate. The gentleman also explained to us that the work of the museum or the specimens after they have been stuffed does not end there, but that there is also a conservation process that takes place every so often to keep all these animals in good condition.

It was a great experience. I was able to take many great photos, and then when we left the premises, there was a place where the security guard told us that people often camp and have picnics with friends and family. In the background, I saw a type of eagle that was being rehabilitated because it was injured, and it will soon be released. I enjoyed this trip. It made me realize that there are so many unique things in our country that we still need to discover and appreciate. Best regards and thank you for reading.