Alto Calima Region (14421)
Colombia, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1e, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Región del Alto Calima
Central coordinates: Latitude: 3.9297, Longitude: -76.6359
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 400 to 1200
Area of KBA (km2): 412.63613
Protected area coverage (%): 97.08
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Alto Calima Region is located in Buenaventura in the department of Valle del Cauca. It corresponds to the biogeographical province of Chocó, has a warm and humid climate, with a high diversity of both flora and fauna species, as well as many endemic species. It is an area of high humidity that receives annually between 7,000-8,000 mm of precipitation. From 1950 to 1995, the Alto Calima was a logging concession to the Cartón de Colombia company, a company that logged the area with a rotation system over a period of 30 years, and at the same time encouraged scientific studies of the area.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This area it's important for the conservation of Pristimantis diaphonus, an amphibian species that triggered the A1e criterion. Also by Glaucidium nubicola (Cloudforest Pygmy-owl), Cyanolyca pulchra (Beautiful Jay) and Bangsia rothschildi (Golden-chested Tanager), birds species that triggered B2 criteria.
Additional biodiversity: The Medio Calima contains a typical Chocó avifauna, with a high concentration of endemic species.
Manageability of the site: Management is considered to be private, given the presence of the Tropical Forestry Center, which is a dependency of the Faculty of Forestry Engineering of the University of Tolima.
Supersedes another site: Calima River, ID: 100297
Other site values: Presence of afro-descendants communities as Acadesan and Cuenca Baja Del Río Calima and also of indigenous groups as Embera Chami
Delineation rationale: This delineation was made following the boundaries proposed by actors in charge of this area in Calima, adding the area of the polygon proposed by re:wild to the AZE Calima River: KBA ID: 100297. Also, was delineated avoiding overlpas and overposition with 19092 Páramo del Duende Natural Regional Park.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Forest | 67 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 1.8 | Plantations |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | War, civil unrest & military exercises | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Alexander von Humboldt Institute