Cordillera Huallanca (200682)
Peru, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Cordillera Huallanca
Central coordinates: Latitude: -10.0720, Longitude: -77.0110
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 2620 to 5064
Area of KBA (km2): 742.82261
Protected area coverage (%): 7.40
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: The KBA Cordillera Huallanca covers an area of 742.823 sq km and it's located in Peru, in the province of Bolognesi, including the dictricts of Huallanca, Huasta, Pacllón and Mangas. The altitudinal range of this KBA is 2620 to 5064 masl. This KBA includes the following climate types: 1) Semi-dry with dry winter, temperate; 2) Semi-dry with dry autumn and winter, cold; 3) Rainy with dry autumn and winter, cold; 4) Rainy with dry autumn and winter, cold; 5) Rainy with dry autumn and winter, cold; 6) Rainy with dry winter, semifrigid and 7) Perennial ice, glacier. The temperature varies from -11°C to 25°C and the annual precipitation varies between 300 mm and 1200 mm, approximately. The KBA Cordillera Huallanca presents the following ecosystems: "Pajonal de puna húmeda", "Matorral", "Bosque relicto altoandino (Queñoal and others)", "Bofedal", "Periglaciar", "Glaciar", agricultural zones, lakes and lagoons.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The KBA Cordillera Huallanca qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for A1b, A1d and B1 criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. The KBA Cordillera Huallanca harbors the range restricted birds Xenodacnis petersi and Atlapetes rufigenis, the Endangered and range restricted Anairetes alpinus and the Vulnerable plant Polylepis weberbaueri.
Additional biodiversity: Microspingus alticola
Manageability of the site: The KBA Cordillera Huallanca could be managed by the Regional Government of Ancash.
Supersedes another site: 14887 - Cerro Huanzalá-Huallanca
Other site values: Peasant communities: Huallanca, Huasta, Chiuruco, San Antonio De Quisipata, Llamac
Delineation rationale: The Cordillera Huallanca KBA is bordered on the northwest by the Huascarán National Park and Buffer Zone KBA and the Aquia district. To the southwest, it follows the limits of the Pativilca River to the Huampay River. To the south, it borders the Cajatambo Reserved Zone. To the east it follows the Quebrada Casacancha.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Relict high Andean forest 1-10%.
Wetlands 1-10%.
Agricultural zones 1-10%.
Lakes 1-10%.
Humid puna grassland 80-90%.
Andean scrub 1-10%.
Additional information
References: MINAM. (2018). Mapa Nacional de Ecosistemas del Perú. SINIA (Sistema Nacional de Información Ambiental) https://sinia.minam.gob.pe/mapas/mapa-nacional-ecosistemas-peru
Castro, A., Dávila, C., Laura, W., Cubas Saucedo, F., Ávalos, G., López, C., ... & Marín, D. (2021). Climas del Perú: mapa de clasificación climática nacional. In Climas del Perú: mapa de clasificación climática nacional (pp. 70-70). https://www.senamhi.gob.pe/?p=mapa-climatico-del-peru
Contributors: Isabeu Cruz-Ríos, Joaquina Albán, Victor Sánchez, Laura Graham-Angeles and Camila Dávila.