Chagres National Park (19318)
Panama, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, A1e, B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Parque Nacional Chagres
Central coordinates: Latitude: 9.3601, Longitude: -79.4433
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Area of KBA (km2): 1222.684585
Protected area coverage (%): 98.61
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Chagres National Park protects the upper Chagres River watershed above Lake Alajuela (Madden), (5,000 ha), a reservoir that provides water for the operation of the Panama Canal, as well as drinking water and hydroelectric power for Panama City. In the Chagres basin, the park includes the Boquerón, Pequení, and Las Cascadas tributaries of the Chagres. North of the Chagres basin, it includes the upper watersheds of the Nombre de Dios, Viento Frio, Cuango, Culebra, and Mandinga Rivers, which flow directly into the Caribbean. The highest point is at Cerro Jefe (1,007 m) in the southeast. The historic Spanish colonial road, the Camino Real from Panama City to Portobelo and Nombre de Dios, passes through the park. Within the park, 17,000 ha, or 14% of the land area, has been deforested, mostly around Lake Alajuela but also near Cerro Azul and Cerro Jefe and in the San Cristobal and Piedras River valleys. Although some new deforestation continues within the park, it is not presently a severe problem. Illegal hunting, including market hunting, is a problem especially near populated areas. Largely uncontrolled placer gold mining takes place within the park in the River Cuango watershed in the north, and threatens to spread to the Chagres watershed as well. There is a legal and controlled manganese mine near the northern boundary of the park near Portobelo. Conservation of the park would be enhanced by a management program for its buffer areas, as well as extension of its boundaries southward on the Pacific watershed at the far eastern end of the park, where remaining unprotected forest is threatened. Small numbers of tourists visit the area of Camp Chagres and indigenous villages on Chagres and Pequení Rivers, and enjoy white-water river rafting on the Piedras and Chagres Rivers. Approximately 2,700 people were living within the park in 1990, mainly latinos and Embera around the shores of Lake Alajuela and on the Pequení River. The parts of the park near the headquarters at Camp Chagres south of the lake and at Cerro Azul are easily accessible, but the upper part of the Chagres basin is remote and is essentially wilderness.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site contains the entire known population of Craugastor punctariolus. Additionally, ten species of birds meet threatened and/or range restricted criteria and five species of bird meet legacy KBA criteria.
Manageability of the site: Site was identified as an IBA/KBA in 2003 by BirdLife partners. A manageability rationale is not available.
Delineation rationale: Site was identified as an IBA/KBA in 2003 by BirdLife partners. A delineation rationale is not available.