**6. Conclusion**

The Orinoco Delta and the Gulf of Paria constitute one of the major wetlands in South America and are one of the best preserved ecosystems in the world. These wetlands were formed by the combined action of sediment and freshwater discharges from the Orinoco, one of the longest rivers in South America along with the tides on a flat alluvial plain. Based on physical and chemical characteristics and ecosystems that developed in this area, seven subregions were defined. In the Orinoco Delta, the dominant ethnic group are the *Warao* with a population of more than 36,000 people spread in at least 202 settlements which have been proposed as conservation targets.

The earliest studies of the region began in the 1800s, however, important production of publications did not begin until the mid 1950s and is still increasing today. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, baseline studies were carried out in the area in response to the interest of oil and gas companies in establishing offshore and coastal developments. Nevertheless, despite the great effort of research that has been done, projects carried out in this region have been very focused, geographically localized and punctual in time (no time series data) as well as very isolated, so most of the area remains largely unexplored. As for biodiversity, the best known groups are the fish followed by crustaceans and mollusks which contribute almost 50% of the total species richness, with other vertebrates contributing almost 15% of the total species richness, represented mainly by birds.

Major threats to biodiversity in this region are industrial and artisanal fishing, urban and agriculture development, dredging and flow navigation, water pollution (run off from the Orinoco basin), mangrove deforestation, activities related to oil and gas exploitation, port activities, and maritime transit.

The Orinoco Delta and Gulf of Paria region have two protected areas under special national conservation regulations. These are the Turuépano National Park in the Gulf of Paria, and the Orinoco Delta National Park. Both are under IUCN conservation category II, meaning they are managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation. An important area of the Orinoco Delta is also considered a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Considering present and future threats to the area's biodiversity, nine additional priority conservation areas are proposed for implementation of special conservation strategies by using an ecosystem-based model. Although these additional PCAs have not been formally adopted by an official environmental agency, the associated conservation strategies are being used by the oil industry in planning their operations and further development.
