Bombona and Vancouver Lagoons (14455)
Colombia, South America

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, B2

Year of last assessment: 2025

National site name: Lagunas Bombona y Vancouver

Central coordinates: Latitude: 4.6443, Longitude: -75.2234

System: terrestrial, freshwater

Elevation (m): 3010 to 4000

Area of KBA (km²): 63.85464

Protected area coverage (%): 19.13

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The Bombona and Vancouver lagoons are located in the municipality of Anzoátegui on the eastern slope of the Central Cordillera, in the Tolima department, and are part of the buffer zone of Los Nevados National Natural Park. The forests in this region nourish the Frío River basin, the main water supply source for the municipality of Anzoátegui. The primary habitat is composed of grasslands, and the predominant land use is agricultural, although there is also logging and firewood extraction.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of International Importance (KBA) for the presence of one threatened plant Plutarchia monantha, which triggers criteria A1a, and for three birds: the Yellow-eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis), the Stout-billed cinclodes (Cinclodes excelsior) which triggers B2 criterion and the Rufous-fronted Parakeet (Bolborhynchus ferrugineifrons), which meet criteria A1b and B2.

Additional biodiversity: This KBA apparently hosts a stable population of the Rusty-faced Parrot (Hapalopsittaca amazonina), a Near Threatened (NT) species with declining populations and a very low population size. The Rusty-faced Parrot population was recorded from 2002 to 2021 within the KBA; however, there is no record of its presence in recent years. 141 bird species are recorded in eBird: https://ebird.org/region/BIRDLIFE_14455/bird-list

Manageability of the site: Managed by Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia, local communities and Autonomous Regional Corporation

Other site values: There is no documented presence of indigenous or afro-descendant communities

Delineation rationale: This area was delineated to cover the Bombona and Vancouver lagoons that are parte of the buffer zone from Los Nevados Natural National Park. This site did not follow specific boundaries that came from a protected area or OECM.

Habitats

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Artificial - Aquatic		Rural Gardens
Artificial - Aquatic		Plantations
Forest		Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist montane
Shrubland		Shrubland – Subtropical/tropical high altitude

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Some of the threats present in the area include the expansion and intensification of agriculture, vegetation burning, firewood collection, and shifting agriculture.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Work & other activities		Ongoing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing

Additional information