Magdalena medio (100263)
Colombia, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Magdalena medio
Central coordinates: Latitude: 6.7322, Longitude: -74.2356
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 75 to 190
Area of KBA (km2): 779.4864
Protected area coverage (%): 39.47
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: The area is located in the departments of Antioquia and Santander, in the municipalities of Yondó and Cimitarra respectively. It covers 779.49 sq Km of Tropical moist forest with a range of altitude from 75 to 190 m, the land is mainly used for agricultural and cattle raising. The clima of this site is characterized by a mean annual precipitation of 2.732 mm, and high temperature (28 to 35 ºC). The area includes parts of the sub-municipalities (veredas) of San Bartolo, Santa Clara, Barbacoas, Bocas de Barbacoas, La Ganadera and Cienaga Chiquita. The landscape comprises a mosaic of land-cover types, including pastures, grasslands, secondary vegetation, wet- lands, forests (in various states of preservation), sandy areas, agricultural areas and waterbodies. this territory has been affected significantly by deforestation.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one of the previously established criteria (A1a and A1c)and thresholds described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. The trigger species for this site is the blue billed curassow (Crax alberti) Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2022 Red List.
Additional biodiversity: Podocnemis lewyana
Manageability of the site: In this area, the decision making corresponds to CORANTIOQUIA, Corporación Autónoma Regional de Santander (CAS) and the owners of the private lands. We organized a meeting with local leaders and owners of the land for explaining what a KBA is, it’s benefits and consulting if they where agree to declare the KBA.
Delineation rationale: This site was delimitated based on locations where the species was observed by experts from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in the municipalities of Yondó and Cimitarra. We also considerer the presence of several micro-watersheds of Magdalena River.
Habitats
Land use: The main use of this land is for agricultural crops, fishing, cattle raising and urban growth
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Agro-industry farming | Only in the past and unlikely to return |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | In the past but now suspended and likely to return |
Additional information
References: https://www.conservationleadershipprogramme.org/media/2014/11/070204_Colombia_FR_Blue-BilledCurassow.pdf
Contributors: This site was proposed by Wildlife Conservation Society.