Cazaderos-Los Guayacanes (14591)
Ecuador, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Cazaderos-Los Guayacanes
Central coordinates: Latitude: -4.0926, Longitude: -80.3963
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 160 to 970
Area of KBA (km2): 334.84692
Protected area coverage (%): 14.72
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This KBA is located in the tumbesian ecosystems of far southwestern Loja province on the borders with Peru. Between 160 - 970 m. The main ecosystems are: lowland deciduous forest, foothill semi-deciduous and deciduous forests. All this ecosystems are interconnected in a mosaic that include agricultural landscape. Certain tumbesian birds use open spaces and borders of vegetation as part of their habitat range (E.g., Brotogeris pyrrhoptera, Spinus siemiradzkii or Picumnus sclateri). Moreover, records in this region of localized amphibians that trigger the KBA came from some open and agricultural areas of this site.
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. Restricted to dry ecosystem amphibians: Engystomops puyango (B2) and Lithobates bwana (B2). Moreover, several threatened and endemic birds of the tumbesian region: Arremon abeillei (B2); Atlapetes albiceps (B2); Picumnus sclateri (B2); Thaumasius baeri (B2); Spinus siemiradzkii (B2); Brotogeris pyrrhoptera (A1b, A1d, B2); Pachyramphus spodiurus (A1d); Phaethornis porcullae (B2); Grallaria watkinsi (B2); Clibanornis erythrocephalus (B2); Lathrotriccus griseipectus (A1b, B2) and Leptotila ochraceiventris (A1b, A1d, B2).
Additional biodiversity: Pseudastur occidentalis, Puma concolor, Crocodylus acutus, Syndactyla ruficollis.
Manageability of the site: A private reserve administrated by Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional (NCI) (Cazaderos) and a municipal reserve, "Los Guayacanes" under the responsibility of Zapotillo municipality are part of this KBA. A conservation strategy of management and landscape restoration is planned.
Delineation rationale: This KBA was delimited based on the records of trigger species in forest and agricultural areas plus protected areas limits and conservation strategies at site. On west, north and south, the borders with Peru. On east, the limits with agricultural lands and forest remnants plus shrubs and scrubs on Mangaurquillo region.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 85 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical dry |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Unknown | |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Trend Unknown/Unrecorded | Unknown |
Additional information
Contributors: Reviewed and curated public databases of bird records (e.g., eBird) during KBA's birding/ornithological workshop.
Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) for herpetofauna.