Parque Nacional Huascarán y zona de amortiguamiento (14773)
Peru, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1d, A1e, B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Parque Nacional Huascarán y zona de amortiguamiento
Central coordinates: Latitude: -9.3974, Longitude: -77.4085
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1390 to 6768
Area of KBA (km2): 5352.05178
Protected area coverage (%): 63.47
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The KBA Parque Nacional Huascarán y zona de amortiguamiento covers an area of 5352.05 sq km and it's located within Perú, in the department of Ancash, provinces of Recuay (Catac, Ticapampa, and Recuay districts), Yungay (Yanama, Yungay, Mancos, and Ranrahirca districts), Pomabamba (Pomabamba, and Huayllan districts), Mariscal Luzuriaga (Llumpa, and Lucma districts), Huaylas (Santa Cruz, Yuracmarca, Caraz, and Huallanca), Huari (Chavin de Huantar, Huari, Huantar, and San Marcos districts), Huaraz (Independencia, Olleros, Huaraz, Tarica districts), Carlos Fermin Fitzcarrald (San Luis district), Carhuaz (Marcara, Shilla, San Miguel de Aco, and Carhuaz districts), Bolognesi (Aquia, Huallanca, and Chiquian), and Asunción (Chacas, and Acochaca districts). This KBA follows the limits of the Huascarán National Park and its Buffer Zone, including the Aquia Rural Community to the south. The site is an important protected area in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. The main habitats are Polylepis forests, Andean shrublands, high altitude grasslands, and peatbogs. Small areas of the park overlap with the Aquia, Catac, San Agustin, and Atusparia communities. The altitude range of the KBA Huascarán National Park and Buffer Zone is 1390 - 6768 masl. The climate types present in the KBA are: (1) temperate, semi-arid with dry winter; (2) temperate, semi-dry with dry winter; (3) temperate, rainy with dry autumn and winter; (4) cold, rainy with dry autumn and winter; (5) temperate, semi-dry with dry autumn and winter; (6) cold, rainy with dry autumn and winter; and (7) glacial. The KBA Huascarán National Park and Buffer Zone presents the following ecosystems: "Pajonal de puna húmeda (Humid puna grassland)", Periglaciar, glacier, Agricultural zone, "Matorral andino (Andean scrubland)", "Bosque relicto altoandino (High Andean relict forest) - Queñoal and others" and "Bofedal (Wetlands)".
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The KBA Parque Nacional Huascarán y zona de amortiguamiento qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for A1, B1 and B2 criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBA. The KBA Parque Nacional Huascarán y zona de amortiguamiento harbors eighteen trigger species of plants, two endemic and geographically restricted moth species (Amastus pluto, Rothschildia amoena), two endemic and geographically restricted haversment species (Ayacucho querococha, Ayacucho tapacocha), one endemic and geographically restricted damselfly (Protallagma hoffmanni), the Vulnerable Taruka (Hippocamelus antisensis), the range restricted lizard Liolaemus chavin and various range restricted bird species (Anairetes alpinus, Asthenes huancavelicae, Atlapetes rufigenis, Microspingus alticola, Phacellodomus dorsalis, Poospiza rubecula, Scytalopus affinis, Zaratornis stresemanni, and Xenodacnis petersi).
Additional biodiversity: Akodon juninensis, Akodon mollis, Auliscomys pictus, Calomys sorellus, Didelphis pernigra, Microryzomys altissimus, Neotomys ebriosus, Oligoryzomys andinus, Phyllotis andium, Phyllotis occidens, Sturnira bogotensis and Thomasomys praetor, Weberbauerocereus albus, Austrocylindropuntia floccosa, Haageocereus pseudomelanostele subsp. cryseus, Gentianella lilacina, Gentianella roseolilacina, Gentianella tristicha, Gentianella weberbaueri, Pygmaeocereus bieblii, Echinopsis santaensis. Anairetes alpinus, Microspingus alticola, Phacellodomus dorsalis, Poospiza rubecula, Zaratornis stresemann, VUltur gryphus, Theristicus branickii, Cinclodes palliatus, Agriornis albicauda, Asthenes huancavelicae, Atlapetes rufigenis, Scytalopus affinis, Xenodacnis petersi, Merganetta armata, Anas georgica, Fulica gigantea, Sicalis raimondii, Rollandia rolland, Oreotrochilus melanogaster, Chalcostigma olivaceum, attatis gayi, Thinocorus orbignyianus, Spatula discors, Limosa haemastica, Actitis macularius, Calidris bairdii, Riparia riparia, Incaspiza laeta, Incaspiza pulchra, Ochthoeca piurae, Phrygilus punensis, Synallaxis hypochondriaca, Synallaxis zimmeri, Telmatobius mayoloi, Attagis gayi
Manageability of the site: Being a National Protected Area, the KBA Huascarán National Park can be managed by the National Service of Protected Natural Areas - SERNANP (https://www.gob.pe/sernanp), and the Buffer Zone by the National Forest and Wildlife Service - SERFOR (https://www.gob.pe/serfor).
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 KBA.
Other site values: More than 40 peasant communities. Source: INRENA (2003). Plan Maestro 2003 - 2007. Parque Nacional Huascarán. https://sinia.minam.gob.pe/documentos/plan-maestro-2003-2007-parque-nacional-huascaran
Delineation rationale: The boundaries of the Huascarán National Park KBA and buffer zone follow the boundaries of Huascarán National Park and its Buffer Zone, including the Aquia Rural Community to the south.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Grassland 40-50%
Shrubland 1-10%
Forest 1-10%
Wetland (inland) 1-10%
Other 40-50%
Land use: Natural Area Protected by the Peruvian Government, in part. Area of international conservation interest, in part.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 42.9 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 4.8 | |
| Forest | 4.8 | |
| Shrubland | 4.8 | |
| Grassland | 42.9 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Trend Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Climate change & severe weather | Ongoing | ||
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Climate change & severe weather | Other impacts | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: MINAM. (2018). Mapa Nacional de Ecosistemas del Perú. SINIA (Sistema Nacional de Información Ambiental) https://sinia.minam.gob.pe/mapas/mapa-nacional-ecosistemas-peru.
Castro, A., Dávila, C., Laura, W., Cubas Saucedo, F., Ávalos, G., López, C., ... & Marín, D. (2021). Climas del Perú: mapa de clasificación climática nacional. In Climas del Perú: mapa de clasificación climática nacional (pp. 70-70). https://www.senamhi.gob.pe/?p=mapa-climatico-del-peru
Contributors: Laura Graham-Angeles, Víctor Pacheco, Javier Barrio, Emmy Medina, Arli Ayala, Juan Grados, Diana Silva, Letty Salinas, Victor Sánchez and Camila Dávila.