Laguna de La Cocha (19079)
Colombia, South America

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1e, B1, B2

Year of last assessment: 2025

National site name: Laguna de La Cocha

Central coordinates: Latitude: 1.1265, Longitude: -77.0645

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 268 to 3400

Area of KBA (km²): 584.54768

Protected area coverage (%): 44.18

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The Ramsar Wetland Laguna de la Cocha is part of the Northern Andean-Amazonian Corridor, within the Bordoncillo Patascoy – La Cocha Ecoregion. It is located in the southeastern region of Colombia, between the departments of Nariño and Putumayo. The geomorphological, climatic and ecological characteristics of the Norandean and Amazonian biogeographic provinces converge in the ecoregion, where several ecosystems such as the páramo, páramo azonal, high mountains, hills, plains, wetlands and lakes are interconnected, forming a strategic biological corridor for the departments of Nariño and Putumayo, southern Colombia and the northern area of the Andes, recognized as a region of great water and biological wealth in both flora and fauna. It presents a variable precipitation between 1000 and 2500 msnm depending of the specific area. On its banks, there are populations of fishermen and farmers, descendants of ancient indigenous cultures such as the Quillasingas, and it is a reference point for other communities in the area such as the Camsá, the Cofán and the Inga who still consider it a sacred place. Of the communities settled on its banks, the main one is the village of El Puerto, characterized by its lakeside dwellings that attract tourists and sport fishermen for the landscape and the fishing of rainbow trout introduced in the mid-twentieth century and which is currently the livelihood of many families.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. The site contains several threatened and range-restricted plant species, that meet KBA criteria: four species of Poales, Greigia nubigena (A1a, A1e, B2 criteria), Greigia exserta (B2 criteria), Greigia racinae (B2 criteria) and Tillandsia fusiformis (A1a., B2 criteria); Asterales, Espeletia schultesiana (A1b, B1 criteria), Espeletia pycnophylla (B1 criteria) and Critoniopsis franciscana (A1e criteria); and one species of Ericales, Semiramisia pulcherrima (A1a criteria).

Manageability of the site: The Laguna de la Cocha is managed by the Corporación Autónoma Regional de Nariño - CorpNariño in collaboration with Parques Nacionales de Colombia, Alcaldia de Pasto and Cabildo del resguardo indígena Quillancinga refugio del sol El Encano, among others.

Delineation rationale: Adopted existing KBA

Habitats

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	9
Artificial - Terrestrial	40
Grassland	2
Shrubland	41
Wetlands(Inland)	8

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Pressure on natural resources is evident throughout the ecoregion: loss of vegetation cover due to deforestation for industrial use, firewood, timber, conflicts due to inappropriate land use, unsustainable production systems, reduction of water flows and water pollution. There is also an incidence of natural and anthropogenic threats, seismic, volcanic, landslides, erosion, sedimentation and drying of wetlands.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Ongoing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Wood & pulp plantations	Scale Unknown/Unrecorded	Ongoing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing

Additional information