Apacheta-Pilpichaca (100062)
Peru, South America

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1b, B2

Year of last assessment: 2023

National site name: Apacheta-Pilpichaca

Central coordinates: Latitude: -13.3810, Longitude: -74.8140

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 3550 to 5050

Area of KBA (km²): 1406.70622

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: No

Site details

Site description: The KBA Apacheta-Pilpichaca covers an area of 1406.71 sq km and it's located in the department of Huancavelica, Huaytara and Angaraes provinces and in the department of Ayacucho, Huamanga and Cangallo provinces. This KBA has an altitudinal range of 3550-5050 masl. The three climate types present in this KBA are: 1) Rainy with dry autumn and winter, cold, with a maximum temperature between 9°C to 19°C and a minimum temperature between -3°C to 3°C. Annual rainfall ranges between 500 mm and 1200 mm approximately; 2) Semi-dry with dry autumn and winter, cold, with a maximum temperature between 15°C to 19°C and a minimum temperature between -1°C to -3°C. Annual rainfall ranges from 700 mm to 900 mm approximately and 3) Semi-dry with dry, cold winters, with a maximum temperature between 13°C to 17°C and a minimum temperature between -7°C to 5°C. Annual rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 700 mm approximately. The KBA Apacheta-Pilpichaca consists in glacial, periglacial and high altitude grassland areas, with small peatlands (bofedales) and areas with low or no vegetation cover. There is also vegetation growing in geliturbated soils. This site includes land used by the Churia Rosaspampa and Tunsulla campesino communities; indigenous and local communities should be involved in any steps to advance management of this site.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The KBA Apacheta-Pilpichaca qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for A1, B1,2 criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. This KBA harbors the threatened plants Krapfia haemantha and Polylepis subsericans, and the range restricted plants Stangea paulae, Stangea rhizantha.

Manageability of the site: This KBA could be managed jointly by the Regional Government of Huancavelica and Ayacucho and the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State - SERNANP.

Delineation rationale: This KBA borders on the north by the populated center Accocuho (Huancavelica), the lagoon Taccracochaand the populated center Ccollpapata; in the west the border is located a few km from the populated center Tacsana (Huancavelica), the lagoon Runtuccocha, the highway 108 (28E) located a few km from the city Pilpichaca, the populated center Pincha Cancha and the highway Libertadores Wari (28A) a few km from the populated center Chaupi - Huancavelica; in the south we find the Raul Soto Farm in Puruchuco (Huancavelica) and the populated center Ccarhuaccocco (Ayacucho), the Yanacocha and Huatay lagoons and in the east the highway 28A a few km from the hot springs Niñobamba and the lagoon Yanacocha in Ayacucho.

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: Rocky areas 70-80% Grassland 20-30%

Threats

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying		Ongoing
Biological resource use			Unknown
Biological resource use	Gathering terrestrial plants	Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded	Ongoing

Additional information

References: Castro, A., Dávila, C., Laura, W., Cubas Saucedo, F., Ávalos, G., López, C., ... & Marín, D. (2021). Climas del Perú: mapa de clasificación climática nacional. In Climas del Perú: mapa de clasificación climática nacional (pp. 70-70). https://www.senamhi.gob.pe/?p=mapa-climatico-del-peru MINAM. (2018). Mapa Nacional de Ecosistemas del Perú. SINIA (Sistema Nacional de Información Ambiental) https://sinia.minam.gob.pe/mapas/mapa-nacional-ecosistemas-peru