Cuyabeno Fauna Production Reserve (14559)
Ecuador, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1c, A1d, B1
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Reserva de Producción Faunística Cuyabeno
Central coordinates: Latitude: -0.3688, Longitude: -75.8383
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 180 to 310
Area of KBA (km2): 5904.54353
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The most known and symbolic, inundated amazonian forest protected area in Ecuador. Located on northern ecuadorian-amazon in the provinces of Sucumbíos and Orellana. On an altitudinal range of 180 - 310m. The main ecosystems are those influenced by several amazonian rivers, like: the evergreen lowlands forests of the Aguarico-Putumayo-Caquetá rivers. The several flooded types of habitats and ecosystems, the flooded palm forests of the amazonian floodplains; floodplain forests of the alluvial plain of amazonian rivers. The flooded amazon forest. The rare floodplain forest and lacustrine-riparian vegetation of black waters of the Amazon (the famous Igapós) and the floodplain forest of the alluvial plain formed by the rivers of Andean-Amazonian Cordilleras.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least four criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. Trigger species like: Otocinclus macrospilus (B1); Apistogramma cruzi (B1); Caquetaia myersi (B1); Creagrutus gracilis (B1); Cebuella pygmaea (A1b, A1d); Corydoras napoensis (B1); Thamnophilus praecox (B1); Sotalia fluviatilis (A1a, A1c); Inia geoffrensis (A1c) and Pithecia milleri (A1b).
Additional biodiversity: Panthera onca. Harpia harpyja.
Manageability of the site: This KBA is a national park administrated by the government of Ecuador.
Other site values: Territory of Cofans, Sionas and Secoyas ancestral nations of Ecuador
Delineation rationale: On south, the Bajo Napo KBA. On east the borders with Peru. On north the forests reaching the Putumayo river. On west, the agricultural frontier of the regions of Tarapoa and and Pacayacu.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 90 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 10 | Wetlands (inland) – Permanent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha) |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Subsistence/artisinal aquaculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Sewage | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Garbage & solid waste | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Oil & gas drilling | Ongoing | |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Ongoing |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Only in the future | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | War, civil unrest & military exercises | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Oil spills | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Only in the past and unlikely to return | |
| Energy production & mining | Oil & gas drilling | Only in the future | |
| Pollution | Excess energy | Noise pollution | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Aquatic amazonian mammals: Jessica Pacheco (WWF)
Primates: Dr. Stella de la Torre (Universidad San Francisco de Quito)
Birds and Freshwater fishes: experts attending the KBA workshop for this taxonomic group