El Pangan Natural Reserve (14448)
Colombia, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Reserva Natural El Pangán
Central coordinates: Latitude: 1.3271, Longitude: -78.0640
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 600 to 1990
Area of KBA (km2): 71.1743
Protected area coverage (%): 0.69
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The El Pangán Natural Reserve is located on the Pacific slope in southwestern Colombia, in the municipality of Barbacoas, Nariño department. It covers an approximate area of 4,568 hectares of forests in pristine conservation state, ranging from 600 to 1,990 meters above sea level. The entire area is covered by tropical rainforest, foothill rainforest, premontane rainforest, and cloud forest. A large portion of the land remains unused, but efforts are being made to develop more research and conservation projects. Since 2000, the ProAves Foundation has implemented the Pangán Project, which aims to expand the Reserve's surface area to 4,568 hectares and design an intensive program of research and conservation. The project's objectives include: 1) Protecting 15,000 hectares of tropical rainforest at an altitude of 1,600 meters as a representative ecosystem that preserves biodiversity and ensures the survival of numerous endemic and globally threatened species; 2) Providing a buffer zone to protect the southern flank, covering approximately 16,000 hectares, of the lower Telembi River basin (large areas of state-owned forests) from the rapid advancement of the Tumaco-Pasto road; 3) Promoting knowledge and field research to better understand the dynamics of biodiversity in this region; 4) Fostering awareness, environmental education, and sustainable natural resource management; 5) Providing facilities for accommodation and research to allow visitors to live in the heart of the Reserve, promoting this site as a research center at the national and international levels.
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. KBA were identified by Instituto Humboldt and a group of experts for re-assessment and nomination of this area in Colombia. Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat status follow the 2023 IUCN Red List. This site is home to one geographically restricted and threatened species of animal which triggers KBA status. This species is Dark-backed Wood-quail (Odontophorus melanonotus), which trigger A1b criteria and is considered as Vulnerable by IUCN.
Manageability of the site: Managed by ProAves Colombia
Other site values: Documented presence of indigenous communities as the Awa
Delineation rationale: The KBA boundaries follow the private property´s limits
Habitats
Land use: Trees are covering 26.8% of the area, water covers almost 0.18%, no further details by the presence of clouds in the analysis
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 100 |
Additional information
Contributors: Karolina Fierro Calderón - Alexander von Humboldt Institute