Araza River (100073)
Peru, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1e, B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Río Araza
Central coordinates: Latitude: -13.5480, Longitude: -71.0089
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 1000 to 5350
Area of KBA (km2): 382.66897
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: The KBA Araza River covers an area of 382.67 sq km, and it's located in Perú, in the department of Cusco, provinces of Quispicanchi (Marcapata, Camanti, and Ocongate districts), and Paucartambo (Kosñipata district). This KBA has an altitudinal range from 1000 to 5350 masl. The main climate types in the KBA are: (1) cold and very rainy with abundant humidity in all seasons; (2) cold and rainy with dry autumn and winter; (3) temperate and very rainy with abundant humidity in all seasons of the year. The site is mostly composed of high altitude humid grasslands, montane forests, glacial and periglacial areas and small lakes. It contains the headwaters of the Rio Araza.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance, meeting the thresholds for the A1b, A1e, B1, and B2 criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBA. The site harbors a population of Treanna pilosa, a moth known from the south of Peru in the oriental basin of the Andes, the Critically Endangered frog Psychrophrynella bagrecito, the range-restricted lizard Liolaemus thomasi, two range-restricted bird species (Kleinothraupis parodii and Cranioleuca marcapatae), and the Vulnerable fish Anablepsoides parlettei.
Additional biodiversity: Phlogophilus harterti, Corydoras maclurei
Manageability of the site: Being in the provinces of Quispicanchi and Paucartambo, the KBA can potentially be managed by these two provincial municipalities in coordination with the regional government (Cusco Regional Government, https://www.gob.pe/regioncusco) and "Servicio Nacional Forestal de Fauna Silvestre" (SERFOR, https://www.gob.pe/serfor)
Supersedes another site: -
Other site values: Union Araza, Sahuancay, Puyca, and Ccollasuyo peasant communities.
Delineation rationale: The boundaries of the Araza River KBA were adjusted to the mountain peaks of the river basin.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: "Wet puna grassland" (approx. 48%), "High Montane Forest (Pluvial) of Yunga" (approx. 20%), periglacial (approx. 14%), secondary vegetation (approx. 9%), "Montane Forest of Yunga" (approx. 7%), "Low Montane Forest of Yunga" (approx. 1%), glacial, "Bofedal" (wetland), and mining areas (less than 1% each).
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Grassland | 45 | |
| Other | 25 | |
| Forest | 25 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Ongoing | ||
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Only in the future | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: MINAM. (2018). Mapa Nacional de Ecosistemas del Perú. SINIA (Sistema Nacional de Información Ambiental) https://sinia.minam.gob.pe/mapas/mapa-nacional-ecosistemas-peru. 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
Base de datos de Pueblos Indigenas u Originarios. https://bdpi.cultura.gob.pe/mapa-interactivo
Contributors: César Aguilar, Andrew Snyder, Letty Salinas, Juan Grados, Victor Sánchez and Camila Dávila.