Kaa Iya del Gran Chaco (200889)
Bolivia, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1d
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Kaa Iya del Gran Chaco
Central coordinates: Latitude: -19.0054, Longitude: -61.4313
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 200 to 500
Area of KBA (km2): 34202.09503
Protected area coverage (%): 99.85
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: The Kaa-Iya Protected Area and Integrated Management Natural Area (ANMI) of the Gran Chaco was created on September 21, 1995, with an area of 3,441,115 hectares (34,411 km2), at the request of the Guaraní, Chiquitano and ayoreodes, who occupy the Cordillera and Chiquitos provinces of Santa Cruz. Located in the southwest of the country, it is the largest protected area in Bolivia and in the entire South American Gran Chaco ecoregion (cross-border territory distributed between the countries Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil). It is located in a transition zone between the Chaco region and the Cerrado or Chiquitano Forest, and is characterized by its richness of forests and wetlands with ecosystems that contribute significantly to the provision of environmental functions, habitat for fauna and flora, and in climate change mitigation. One of the treasures of this area is the northern basin that is part of the Parapetí River basin. Its wetlands and water currents are vital for the biological diversity of the Chaco, since they constitute the only permanent sources of fresh water in the region. Indigenous communities that inhabit the area and numerous local and migratory plant and animal species subsist thanks to them. In Kaa Iya, 108 species of mammals, 226 of birds, 72 of reptiles, 43 of amphibians and 105 species of fish were recorded. It is home to threatened or endangered species such as the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), solitary chancho (Parachoerus wagneri), tropero (Tayassu pecari), pejichi (Priodontes maximus), corechi (Tolypeutes matacus), jaguar (Panthera onca) and the anta (Tapirus terrestris). This protected area of Bolivia has two Ramsar Sites: the Bañados del Isoso and the Parapetí River and the Palmar de las Islas and Salinas de San José. It has four landscape systems: the riverine Chaco, the alluvial plain Chaco, the transitional plain Chaco and the Chiquitano transitional Chaco and Chiquitanía transitional to the Chaco.
El Área Protegida y Área Natural de Manejo Integrado (ANMI) Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco fue creada el 21 de septiembre de 1995, con una extensión de 3.441.115 de hectáreas (34,411 Km2), a solicitud de los pueblos guaraníes, chiquitanos y ayoreodes, que ocupan las provincias Cordillera y Chiquitos de Santa Cruz. Situado al suroeste del país, es el área protegida más grande de Bolivia y de toda la ecorregión del Gran Chaco Sudamericano (territorio transfronterizo distribuido entre los países Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia y Brasil). Se encuentra en una zona de transición de la región del Chaco con la del Cerrado o Bosque Chiquitano, y se caracteriza por su riqueza de bosques y humedales con ecosistemas que aportan significativamente en la provisión de funciones ambientales, hábitat para la fauna y la flora y en la mitigación del cambio climático. Uno de los tesoros de esta área es la cuenca norte que forma parte de la cuenca del Río Parapetí. Sus humedales y las corrientes de agua son vitales para la diversidad biológica del Chaco, dado que constituyen las únicas fuentes de agua dulce permanentes de la región. Comunidades indígenas que habitan la zona y numerosas especies vegetales y animales zonales y migratorios subsisten gracias a ellas. En el Kaa Iya se registraron 108 especies de mamíferos, 226 de aves, 72 de reptiles, 43 de anfibios y 105 especies de peces. Es el hogar de especies amenazadas o en peligro de extinción como el guanaco (Lama guanicoe), chancho solitario (Parachoerus wagneri), tropero (Tayassu pecari), pejichi (Priodontes maximus), corechi (Tolypeutes matacus), jaguar (Panthera onca) y el anta (Tapirus terrestris). Esta área protegida de Bolivia cuenta con dos Sitios Ramsar: los Bañados del Isoso y el río Parapetí y el Palmar de las Islas y Salinas de San José. Posee cuatro sistemas de paisajes: el Chaco ribereño, el Chaco de llanura aluvial, el Chaco transicional de llanura y el Chaco transicional chiquitano y Chiquitanía transicional al Chaco.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (Angelonia chiquitensis A1b, B1; Priodontes maximus A1d; Tapirus terrestris A1d; Pseudobombax pulchellum Aia,B1; Buteogallus coronatus, meeting A1a)
Manageability of the site: The management of the ANMI Kaa-Iya PN of the Gran Chaco is carried out under the shared administration modality, through an agreement signed on November 24, 1995 with the Captaincy of Alto and Bajo Izozog (CABI), an Izoceño-Guaraní indigenous organization. Management plan. Currently, the Area has a Management Plan approved by
RM 261/00 of September 6, 2000.
Supersedes another site: This site replaces the previous Kaa Iya ID14381 and Palmar de las Islas ID 14396
Other site values: Izoceño and Ayoreo indigenous peoples
Delineation rationale: Site delineation follows the exact boundaries of the National Protected area KAA-IYA del Gran Chaco (Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Bolivia).
Habitats
Land use: The use of the space of natural resources in the communities is agriculture, livestock
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 30 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 40 | Wetlands (inland) – Permanent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha) |
| Shrubland | 30 | Shrubland – Subtropical/tropical dry |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity |
Additional information
Contributors: Victor Hugo García Consultant - Asociación Civil Armonía
Jennifer Cahill Centro de Biodiversidad y Genética, Universidad Mayor de San Simón (CBG)
Oswaldo Maillard Fundación para la Conservación del Bosque Chiquitano (FCBC)
Enrique Domic Red para la Conservación de Tortugas de Bolivia (RTB)
Adriana Ávila Consultant - Asociación Civil Armonía
Diego Peñaranda Asociación Civil Armonía
Maira Martinez KEW
Daniel Villarroel Fundación Amigos de la Naturaleza (FAN)
Alfredo Fuentes Claros Missouri Botanical Garden-Bolivia (MBG)
Germaine Alexander Parada Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado (MHNNKM)
Luzmila Arroyo Padilla Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado (MHNNKM)