El Sira Communal Reserve (14834)
Peru, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1e, B1, B2, B3b
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Reserva Comunal El Sira
Central coordinates: Latitude: -9.8982, Longitude: -74.5286
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 120 to 2400
Area of KBA (km2): 17132.85075
Protected area coverage (%): 36.01
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The KBA Reserva Comunal El Sira covers an area of 17132.852 sq km and it's located in Peru, in the departments of Huánuco, Ucayali, Pasco, and Junín. In Huánuco: Puerto Inca province (Honoria, Tournavista, Puerto Inca, and Yuyapichis districts). In Ucayali: Coronel Portillo Province (Masisea and Iparia districts); and Atalaya province (Tahuania, and Raymondi districts). In Pasco: Oxapampa province (Puerto Bermudez district). In Junín: Satipo province (Rio Tambo district). The altitudinal range of this KBA is 120-2400 masl. The main climate types in this KBA are: 1) Warm and rainy climate with abundant humidity all seasons of the year, and 2) Temperate and rainy climate with abundant humidity all seasons of the year. The temperature in this KBA ranges between 11°C and 31°C and the annual precipitation varies between approximately 1200 mm and 3500 mm. The KBA Reserva Comunal Sira includes the following ecosystems: Lower montane Yungas forest, High hill forest, Low hill forest, Floodable alluvial forest, Upper montane Yungas forest, Non-floodable terrace forest, Shrub-herbaceous swamp, Palm swamps, secondary vegetation, agricultural zones, and grasslands.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site 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. This KBA harbors two threatened and range restricted frogs (Rhinella nesiotes and Callimedusa baltea), the range restricted bird Tangara phillipsi, the Critically Endangered bird Pauxi koepckeae, the Endangered and the entire known population of two plant species (Zamia urep and Freziera spathulifolia), the range restricted plant Tigridania quadricincta, ten endemic and range restricted arthropods and two range restricted fishes (Hyphessobrycon frankei and Corydoras panda).
Additional biodiversity: Knodus megalops, Hyphessobrycon frankei, Myrmoborus melanurus, Primolius couloni, Tinamus tao, Pauxi koepckeae, Phaethornis koepckeae, Herpsilochmus motacilloides, Capito fitzpatricki, Cichlopsis peruviana, Tangara phillipsi, Phlogophilus harterti, Glaucidium parkeri, Tigrisoma lineatum, Butorides striata, Trigrisoma fasciatum, Mesembrinibis cayennensis, Vanellus resplendens, Sternula superciliaris, Zimmerius viridiflavus, Heliodoza branickii, Snowornis subalaris, Lepidothrix coeruleocapilla, Scytalopus femoralis, Cheirodon ortegai, Bujurquina hophrys, Tinamus osgoodi, Lepidothrix coeruleocapilla, Heliodoxa branickii,
Manageability of the site: The KBA "Reserva Comunal El Sira" contains the protected natural area "Reserva Comunal El Sira" and its buffer zone, and the Panguana Private Conservation Area. Panguana Private Conservation Area is managed by Juliane Koepcke and Erich Helmut Diller. Therefore this KBA can be managed jointly by the National Service for Natural Areas Protected by the State - SERNANP and the National Forest and Wildlife Service - SERFOR. In particular, the natural protected area "Reserva Comunal El Sira" is also administrated by ECOSIRA, which is the institution that groups the approximately 70 native communities that benefit from the reserve (SERNANP, 2009). El Sira Communal Reserve was established to conserve biological diversity for the benefit of four indigenous peoples: Asháninka, Ashéninka, Yánesha, and Shipibo-Conibo. Source: SERNANP (2009). Plan Maestro de la Reserva Comunal El Sira 2009-2013. https://sis.sernanp.gob.pe/biblioteca/?publicacion=1100
Supersedes another site: -
Other site values: The beneficiary communities in charge of managing the "El Sira Communal Reserve" protected natural area, which is located within the KBA, are grouped into the ECOSIRA organization: 22 of them are located in the Pichis sector; 19 in the Lower Ucayali sector, 12 in the Upper Ucayali sector; 6 in the Gran Pajonal, and 11 in the Pachitea watershed. Source: SERNANP (2009). Plan Maestro de la Reserva Comunal El Sira 2009-2013. https://sis.sernanp.gob.pe/biblioteca/?publicacion=1100
Delineation rationale: The boundaries of the KBA Reserva comunal el Sira have not changed. Its boundaries are the buffer zone of the El Sira Communal Reserve.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Forest 80-90%
Other 10-20%
Land use: Private Conservation Area, Communal Reserve, and Buffer Zone of a Communal Reserve
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 85 | |
| Other | 15 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Ongoing | ||
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Only in the future |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Only in the future |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Only in the future |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Only in the future |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Oil & gas drilling | Only in the future | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Only in the future |
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: Joachim Hoffmann, Emmy Medina, Arli Ayala, Juan Grados, Max Hidalgo, Letty Salinas, Alejandra Arana, César Aguilar, Victor Sánchez, Laura Graham-Angeles and Camila Dávila.