Rhukanrhuka (14354)
Bolivia, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, B1
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Rhukanrhuka
Central coordinates: Latitude: -13.7500, Longitude: -67.1606
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 15 to 230
Area of KBA (km2): 8589.62213
Protected area coverage (%): 3.96
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site corresponds to the Rhukanrhuka Municipal Protected Area located in the Santos Reyes Municipality in the José Ballivián province, Department of Beni. This site is an extension and name change of the KBA Bajo Rio Beni, Region Tacana
Its western boundary follows the Beni River and to the east is the border of the gallery forest that borders the Negro River on its eastern shore. The Rhukanrhuka APM was created to promote and to foster the biodiversity conservation, including the two endemic lucachi monkeys and their habitats, and to protect the hydrobiological resources. Ecologically the site is found in the Amazonian and Brazilian-Paranaense biogeographic regions. The Amazon part corresponds, on the one hand, to the Amazonian forests associated with the Beni River, as well as the southern forests. The later are also related to the transitional ecosystems from the mountain ranges of the pre-Andean sector. The Brazilian-Paranaense portion corresponds to a transition from the Amazonian forest to the Benian savannahs or pampas where the forests occur in the form of islands or patches immersed in the matrix of flooded grasslands. Its climate is typically tropical with two markedly seasons, wet and dry. The rainy season is concentrated between October to March, which are also de hottest months. The flooded season also occur between January and March. Besides the two endemic lucachi monkeys (Plecturocebus ollalae and P. modestus) the characteristic fauna species present in the area are from both the Amazon and the pamas ecoregion, whete it is possible to find marimonos (Ateles chamek), collared pecari (Pecari tajacu) and londra or gian river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), while species such as deer (Blastoceros dichotomus), borochi (Chrysocyon brachiurus) and black manechi ( Alouatta caraya) are examples of Cerrado fauna. This site is of great importance from the biological and cultural point of views, because it is the only site that houses the Maropa (or Reyesano) indigenous people, which is greatly interested in protecting their habitat. Rhukanrhuka means lucachi monkey in Maropa laguage.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. Trigger species Plecturocebus ollalae, P. modestus and Crax globulosa qualify under KBA Criteria A1a and B1.
Manageability of the site: The Rhukanrhuka Municipal Protected Area has a double category: Park and Integrated Management Natural Area (ANMI). As established in article 2 of its creation rule, the Park category aims to permanently protect representative samples of ecosystems, ecoregions and the natural resources it houses, while the ANMI category seeks to make compatible the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable development of the local population.
Supersedes another site: Bajo Río Beni, Región Tacana (ID 14354)
Other site values: It has cultural importance due to the presence of several indigenous peoples and traditional communities settled within the protected area, such as the Maropa indigenous people, from the Tacana linguistic family. It is also located within the only archaeological site worked in the area, the Uaua-One site, rescued in 2004.
Delineation rationale: Site delineation follows the exact limits of the Rhukanrhuka APM.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 10 | Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams/creeks |
| Forest | 60 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland |
| Savanna | 30 | Savanna - Moist |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming | |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Zulia Porcel Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Enrique Domic Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Guido Ayala Crespo Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Guido Miranda Chumacero Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Gustavo Alvarez Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Jesus Martinez Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Jorge Molina Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Maria Viscarra Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Oriana Prado Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Robert Benedict Wallace Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)