Yata (200710)
Bolivia, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1c
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Yata
Central coordinates: Latitude: -11.7601, Longitude: -65.7814
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 140 to 180
Area of KBA (km2): 5912.2564
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: A very large mosaic of ecosystems formed basically of recent alluvial plains, rivers, lakes, and marshes. Located in a transition zone, the site presents unique characteristics in terms of ecosystem formation processes and vegetal succession. It is estimated that the site supports more than 50,000 waterbirds; some 13 migratory species visit, and the site hosts more than 1% of the global population of the Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis. The fish community of the Marmoré river basin numbers 394 species, representing 55% of the fish species in the Amazon basin, and the site hosts more than 1% of the global population of the Bolivian river dolphin Inia boliviensis. There also 24 threatened species of vertebrates, including the Giant Otter. As elsewhere in the Amazon basin, the importance of rubber exploitation generates severe cultural and socio-environmental impacts which can have drastic effects on the indigenous population. The Ramsar Site is part of two Nature Reserves and the municipal Área Natural de Manejo Integrado Pampas del Río Yacuma. Ramsar Site no. 2094. Most recent RIS information: 2013.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs (Inia geoffrensis A1c).
Manageability of the site: The Yata Departamental Protected Area is under the management of the Beni Autonomous Departamental Government, therefore, the present KBA can also be managed as a unit.
Delineation rationale: Site delineation follows the exact boundaries of the Yata Departmental Protected Area (see Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Agua. 2018. Política y Estrategia Plurinacional de Gestión Integral y Sustentable de la Biodiversidad, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia) and it was extended partially to the east and west until reaching the Yata Ramsar site borders.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 40 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 | Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams/creeks |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Subsistence/artisinal aquaculture |
Additional information
Contributors: Robert Benedict Wallace Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Zulia Porcel Wildlife Conservation Society-Bolivia (WCS)
Diego Peñaranda Asociación Civil Armonía
Enrique Domic Red para la Conservación de Tortugas de Bolivia (RTB)