Los Paraguas Mountain Range (19104)
Colombia, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1e, B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Serranía de los Paraguas
Central coordinates: Latitude: 4.6833, Longitude: -76.3167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 300 to 2700
Area of KBA (km2): 2265.7428
Protected area coverage (%): 15.44
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Serranía de los Paraguas is a mountainous formation that emerges from the western flank of the western mountain range and originates from the bifurcation caused by the Garrapatas River canyon from its source. It is located between the limits of the departments of Valle del Cauca and Chocó. It has an approximate extension of 150,000 hectares, of which about 75% correspond to the department of Chocó and 25% to Valle del Cauca. For the most part, it is covered by forests with warm temperatures and high relative humidity, typical characteristics of the tropical humid forest; and in its highest parts you can find high Andean forests. The orographic, geographical, hydric and climatic characteristics lead us to consider the Serranía de los Paraguas as an independent biogeographic unit within the western mountain range. The presence of several altitudinal floors with different temperatures allows the development of three types of plant formations in the mountains: Lower Montane Rainforest, at elevations ranging from 0 to 1000 masl and temperatures from 19 to 23°C; Very Humid Lower Montane Forest, at altitudes from 1,000 to 2,000 meters above sea level and temperatures from 16 to 18°C; and Montane Rain Forest, at elevations from 2,000 to 3,000 masl and temperatures from 12 to 15°C. The Serranía is part of the biological corridor Farallones de Citará - Cerro de Caramantá - Cuchilla del San Juan - Macizo del Tatamá - Serranía de los Paraguas and internationally, of the Chocó - Manabí corridor.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the KBA thresholds for 36 different species of fauna and flora. 5 amphibians triggered A1e and A1b criteria; 23 birds meet criterion A1b and B2; 2 reptiles meet criterion A1b, B1 and B2; and 6 plants meet criteria A1a, B1 and B2.
Additional biodiversity: Other threatened bird species present in this KBA that did not reach the thresholds are Cauca Guan (Penelope perspicax-VU), Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori-EN), Black-and-gold Tanager (Bangsia melanochlamys-VU) and Turquoise Dacnis (Dacnis hartlaubi-VU).
Manageability of the site: The management of this KBA is mixed, carried out by the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Valle del Cauca-CVC, the owners of properties and the 60 Natural Reserves of the Civil Society of the Tatamá-Paraguas Node and by the Serraniagua Corporation (Community Environmental NGO of the region).
Other site values: There is presence of afro-descendat communities as the Mayor De Novita and Acadesan. Also, we have presence of many indigenous groups as Embera Katío and Embera Chamí
Delineation rationale: The limits of this KBA are given by the AP: Regional District of Integrated Management Serrania de los Paraguas and the 60 Natural Reserves of the Civil Society-RNSC.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 0.17 | Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams/creeks |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 0.12 | Rural Gardens |
| Forest | 75.9 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist montane |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 4.3 | Plantations |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats to the natural ecosystems of the Serranía are intensive hunting, timber extraction, and the expansion of agricultural frontiers.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | ||
| Energy production & mining | Oil & gas drilling | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Intentional use: large scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Unknown |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Unknown | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Named species | Unknown |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Asociación Calidris
Alexander von Humboldt Institute