Cañón del Río Combeima (14510)
Colombia, South America

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: B3b

Year of last assessment: 2025

National site name: Cañón del Río Combeima

Central coordinates: Latitude: 4.5186, Longitude: -75.2955

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 1700 to 2800

Area of KBA (km²): 66.4495

Protected area coverage (%): 9.41

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The Combeima River Canyon is part of the municipality of Ibagué and is located on the eastern slope of the Central Mountain Range between 2200 and 4200 masl. The physiographic landscape of the upper Combeima River basin, in the central massif of the Colombian Andes, is characterized by deep valleys of mountain slopes. The ecosystem in general still shows traces of biological richness, in spite of the strong changes that the original landscape matrix has undergone. The landscape is highly fragmented in some areas, mainly due to agriculture and cattle ranching activities. There are some pockets of forest of significant size, although gallery forests predominate.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The Combeima River Canyon qualifies as a KBA due to the presence of seven bird species: Tolima dove (Leptotila conoveri), Yellow-headed brush-finch (Atlapetes flaviceps), Tourmaline sunangel (Heliangelus exortis), Slaty brush-finch (Atlapetes schistaceus), Myioborus ornatus (Yellow-fronted whitestart), Rufous-crowned tody-flycatcher (Poecilotriccus ruficeps), and Andean siskin (Spinus spinescens), which together trigger criterion B3b.

Additional biodiversity: The area is home to spectacled bears, condors, foxes, eagles, Andean tapirs and more than 300 species of birds, 7 of which are endemic.

Manageability of the site: The site delimitation was agreed upon and adjusted by the proponents prior to the creation of the following PAs: La Suiza Regional Protective Forest Reserves (WDPA ID: 555555724), La Estrella Cabaña Dulima (WDPA ID: 555555706), etc, and the Soil Conservation District of the Northern Hills of Ibague (WDPA ID: 555635936). When these PAs were created, some of their polygons overlapped with the site's original polygon. Therefore, certain parts of the PAs are included in the KBA polygon. Furthermore, these PAs are managed by the environmental authority CORTOLIMA. Therefore, considering that the RNSC La Rivera and RNSC Finca La Primavera reserves are privately managed on the site, expanding the site to include the PAs cannot be considered (for now), primarily given the differences in management.

Delineation rationale: As a geographic unit, it is bordered on the north by the municipality of Anzoátegui; on the west by the Coello river basin; on the east by the municipality of Anzoátegui and the La China, Alvarado and Chipalo river basins; and on the south by the Opia and Coello river basins.

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: The canyon's forest types are the tropical rainforest, Andean forest, and montane forest.

Land use: This area has a private ownership where thare are areas for agriculture, forestry and nature conservation and research.

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	16
Artificial - Terrestrial	84

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats are lack of land management, expansion and intensification of agriculture, grazing and induced burning of the forest.

Additional information