North of Yacuri (200650)
Ecuador, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Norte de Yacuri
Central coordinates: Latitude: -4.3649, Longitude: -79.2857
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 1400 to 3560
Area of KBA (km2): 581.98417
Protected area coverage (%): 0.26
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: The importance of this KBA lies in the mixture of habitat regions that means geographical barriers and or connectivity between ecosystems from southwest and southern Ecuador. Located mostly in Loja province, but its southern and southeastern region limits with the páramos and upper montane forest of the amazonian province, Zamora-Chinchipe. Altitude goes from 1400 to 3550 m. The main ecosystems are: semi-deciduous forests and shrubs from the south of the tumbesian dry valleys and the upper montane, montane evergreen forests of the southeastern Andean slope. Also, the lower montane and foothill semi-deciduous forests on the southern interandean dry valley.
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. Mostly range restricted species, like: Scytalopus parkeri (B2); Stenocercus ornatus (A1b, B2); Asthenes griseomurina (B2); Macropholidus annectens (A1a, B2); Thamnophilus zarumae (B2); Heliangelus micraster (B2); Metallura odomae (B2); Nephelomyias lintoni (B2); Penelope barbata (B2); Phaethornis porcullae (B2) and Lagidium ahuacaense (B1).
Additional biodiversity: Tremarctos ornatus, Tapirus pinchaque, Spizaetus isidori.
Manageability of the site: Two protected forests are the core of this KBA. This will be part of future extensions of protected areas and ecological corridors. Protected forests, are: El Ingenio- Santa Rosa (private) and Colambo-Yacuri (mixed, private and public). On regards of conservation and sustainable use areas designated by municipalities in the KBA's region, three (n=3) of these covers nearly the 80% of the KBA, as follows: conservation and sustainable use municipal area of Loja County; conservation and sustainable use municipal area of Quilanga County and conservation and sustainable use municipal area of Espíndola County.
Supersedes another site: (14600) Colambo-Yacuri Protected Forest
Other site values: NA
Delineation rationale: Surrounded by agricultural areas and small remnants of tumbesian influenced vegetation. On south, Yacuri National Park. On southeast, two KBAs Podocarpus National Park and Tapichalaca-Numbala. The rest of the eastern limits the town and villages of Quinara, Yangana and Malacatos. North, Malacatos and Lamedero agricultural fields and remnants of vegetation.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 8 | Wetlands (inland) – Permanent rivers/streams/creeks (includes waterfalls) |
| Forest | 20 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist montane |
| Forest | 60 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical dry |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Trend Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Other options | Other threat | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | In the past but now suspended and likely to return |
Additional information
Contributors: QCAZ-Herpetofauna Universidad Católica del Ecuador
Rodrigo Cisneros - Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja
Bryan Sarango - Thesis Research on Lagidium ahuacaense diet.
Experts participating in the KBA workshops on birds, non-flying micromammals and herpetofauna.