Chimán Wetlands (19323)
Panama, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Humedales de Chimán
Central coordinates: Latitude: 8.7667, Longitude: -78.7167
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 165.9582
Protected area coverage (%): 56.29
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Chimán Wetlands include extensive mudflats (11,400 ha), up to three km wide, and coastal mangroves (18,300 ha) from the Ensenada de Corral at the mouth of the La Maestra River eastward to Punta Bruja, at the base of the Serranía de Majé). The site merges with the Upper Bay of Panama IBA to the west. Short rivers from the Serranía drain into the area, including the Platanares and Chimán. There are small villages at Chimán at the mouth of the Chimán River and at Punta Brujas, and a few other settlements inland.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: The site is an important area for migratory shorebirds. The highest single day count was 11,663 in October 1991, of which 6,044 were small shorebirds. Taking turnover into account, 22,000 small shorebirds may use the area during autumn migration. Based on one-day counts, this area may contain 1.7% of the North American population of Whimbrel. Non-bird biodiversity: Neotropical River Otter, Crab-eating Raccoon, and American Crocodile probably occur.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The area consists of extensive intertidal mudflats and mangroves. The area inland is inhabited by latinos and Emberá, and devoted to subsistence agriculture and cattle.
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 38 | |
| Forest | 62 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Mangroves throughout Panama are threatened by extraction for wood, tannin, and charcoal. The area inland from the site is now heavily deforested, but the impact on mangroves is unknown.
Additional information
References: Angehr, George R. 2003. Directorio de areas importantes para aves en Panama. Directory of important bird areas in Panama. Panama: Sociedad Audubon de Panama. Morrison, R. I. G., R. W. Butler, E. S. Delgado, and R. K. Ross. 1998. Atlas of Nearctic shorebirds and other waterbirds on the coast of Panama. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa.