Quincemil (14687)
Peru, South America

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: B2

Year of last assessment: 2023

National site name: Quincemil

Central coordinates: Latitude: -13.3647, Longitude: -70.6577

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 550 to 3310

Area of KBA (km²): 1404.46474

Protected area coverage (%): 0.06

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The KBA Quincemil covers an area of 1404.465 sq km and it's located within Peru, in the department of Cusco, province Quispicanchi, districts of Camanti and Marcapata. The altitude range of the KBA is 550 to 3310 masl and it is located in the Marcapata valley, being its most important town Quincemil located on the route between Cusco and Puerto Maldonado. The site can be accessed along the Interoceanic Highway South, from the town of Quincemil (to the east) and along the different localities that are in the altitudinal gradient of this KBA from the slopes of Cerro Camanti. It contains the bridges Oroya, Puente Iscaybamba and Puente Cadena. It is a vast area of rugged topography that has the town of Quincemil as the most conspicuous locality, a city of long history and of great importance in the exploration of the southern Peruvian Amazon from Cusco. Inside the KBA is the Soqtapata Nature Conservation Concession, being this and other properties oriented to the enjoyment and conservation of nature important allies in the conservation of the rainforest of this KBAs and its biota. It is an area full of attractions, history and beautiful scenery; since Quincemil visitors can hike through the forest, observe birds and other wildlife, enjoy mountain biking and cycling routes on the trans-oceanic road, as well as canoeing and kayaking. The many ravines of this KBA are places where nature is more preserved. The climate in the city of Quincemil is warm, excessively rainy, with an average annual temperature ranging from 22.8 to 23.7 and the total annual precipitation can vary from 6400 to more than 11,000 mm. The average accumulated annual precipitation for the period 1961-1980 is 7353.9 mm and it is often mentioned that it is the place in Peru that supports the highest rainfall. Ornithological studies in the area include those from the 1970s and from 2013 to 2016 by the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The KBA Quincemil qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for the B2 criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs for eight range restricted bird species (Tinamus osgoodi, Poecilotriccus pulchellus, Scytalopus schulenbergi, Grallaria erythroleuca, Phlogophilus harterti, Anisognathus flavinucha, Cranioleuca marcapatae and Euchrepomis sharpei).

Additional biodiversity: Cinclodes aricomae, Coeligena osculans, Grallaria albigula, Heliodoxa whitelyana, Kleinothraupis parodii, Scytalopus schulenbergi, Scytalopus simonsi, Aotus nancymaae, Lagothrix lagotricha, Priodontes maximus, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Spizaetus isidori, Tremarctos ornatus, Euchrepomis sharpei, Synallaxis azarae

Manageability of the site: This site could be managed by the Quispicanchi municipality jointly with the Regional Government of Cusco. The National Coordination Group of KBAs has a conservation promotion and monitoring committee, which is composed of various governmental and civil society institutions that will work to promote conservation actions in the KBAs.

Other site values: Harakmbut (Harakbut) and Amarakaeri Communities (Source: INEI - III Census of Indigenous Communities 2017: III Census of Native Communities and I Census of Peasant Communities, https://www.inei.gob.pe/media/MenuRecursivo/publicaciones_digitales/Est/Lib1597/ page 65) Union Araza Peasant Community

Delineation rationale: The KBA Quincemil is delimited to cover the ecological characteristics of the triggering species. To the east it follows the limit of the tributary of the Toronjil River, to the south it follows the limit of the Solopata River, to the west it follows the Araza River up to the departmental limit between Cusco and Puno. To the north it passes through the community of Quincemil.

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: Forest 90-100%

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Shrubland	67
Forest	33

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Because of the steep topography, deforestation is a serious threat to this KBA, however illegal mining is the biggest threat since the 2010s since the inhabitants of Camanti and Quincemil have denounced illegal mining in the region to the Public defender's office in 2011.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying		Ongoing

Additional information

References: -Reporte de Conflictos Sociales No 94, 2011, page 27, https://www.defensoria.gob.pe/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Reporte-de-conflictos-N-94.pdf -INEI - III Census of Indigenous Communities 2017: III Census of Native Communities and I Census of Peasant Communities, https://www.inei.gob.pe/media/MenuRecursivo/publicaciones_digitales/Est/Lib1597/ page 65 -https://www.conservamospornaturaleza.org/destino/soqtapata/ -https://web.archive.org/web/20100426152229/http://www.met.igp.gob.pe/clima/HTML/quincemil.html