Alto Nangaritza - Maycu (200642)
Ecuador, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1d, A1e, B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Alto Nangaritza - Maycu
Central coordinates: Latitude: -4.3391, Longitude: -78.7443
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 900 to 2650
Area of KBA (km2): 1073.92106
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: This KBA is located in Zamora-Chinchipe province and is one of the most endangered, rare and threatened southern amazonian ecosystems shared with Peru. Rocky walls covered with vegetation like buildings rising in the middle of the amazon packed with endemic species of flora and fauna, but heartlessly severely threatened by gold mining, deforestation and logging for cattle pasture on its base. The altitudinal range goes from 900 up to 2650m at the top of the famous Tepuis where different climate, soil and temperature holds rare and endemic species of flora and fauna. This KBA, in general, is a mosaic of foothills and rainforest influenced by the Nangaritza river valley. A mixture of primary and secondary forest where endemic flora and fauna survives the pressure of gold mining (legal and illegal). The main ecosystems are the montane, foothill, lower montane evergreen forests of of the Cóndor-Kutukú isolated amazonian cordilleras. Moreover, up on top, the montane, foothill and lower montane evergreen forests on sandstone plateaus of the Cóndor-Kutukú isolated amazonian cordilleras dominate the landscape.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least three criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. Threatened of extinction (A criteria) and range restricted (B2)species like: Wetmorethraupis sterrhopteron and vulnerable herpetofauna, such as: Trilepida anthracina, Enyalioides rubrigularis, Anolis podocarpus, Allobates fratisenescus (Also B1 criterion), Callimedusa ecuatoriana (Also B1 criterion), Excidobates captivus, Hemiphractus bubalus. Moreover, critically endangered and endangered frogs: Pristimantis nangaritza; Pristimantis yantzaza; Pristimantis muranunka; Pristimantis citriogaster; Nymphargus lindae; Nymphargus colomai; Noblella lochites; Hyloxalus cevallosi; Chiasmocleis parkeri and Centrolene charapita. Moreover, a freshwater fish, Bryconamericus zamorensis meets the B1 criterion and Anolis lososi meets B1 and B2 criteria among others.
Additional biodiversity: Recent reports of: Panthera onca; Tremarctos ornatus.
Manageability of the site: Private reserves like Maycu managed by Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional and the Nangaritza Protected Forest administrated by the environmental authority of Ecuador.
Supersedes another site: Bosque Protector Alto Nangaritza (14634); Cordillera del Cóndor (14602).
Other site values: Part of the KBA is in Shuar Amazonian Nationality Territories.
Delineation rationale: It follows the forest remnants and the protected areas that are part of the KBA. Mainly the Cuenca Alta del Río Nangaritza Protected Forest. On east the borders with Peru. On north, tow KBAs (Bosques de Jambue and Cordillera del Cóndor) and forest remnants of Guayzimi town. On west, Jambue's forests and Podocarpus National Park plus some remnants of forest near La Canela vicinity. On South the Cerro Plateado national protected area and the KBA of the southern amazonian cordilleras of the ecuadorian borders.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 6 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist montane |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Diego Armijos from Universidad Particular de Loja;
Santiago Ron and Omar Torres from QCAZ - Herpetology (Zoological Museum of Universidad Católica del Ecuador).
Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional
Experts participating in the KBA's workshops on birds, amphibians, non-flying micromammals and freshwater fishes.