Las Orquideas National Natural Park (200940)
Colombia, South America

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1e, B1, B2, B3b

Year of last assessment: 2025

National site name: Parque Nacional Natural Las Orquídeas

Central coordinates: Latitude: 6.5793, Longitude: -76.2680

System: terrestrial, freshwater

Elevation (m): 300 to 3400

Area of KBA (km²): 287.29707

Protected area coverage (%): 100.00

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: No

Site details

Site description: Las Orquídeas National Natural Park is located in the foothills of the western slope of the Western Cordillera, in the department of Antioquia, in the jurisdiction of the municipalities of Frontino, Urrao and Abriaqui. The area presents diverse ecosystems distributed in four thermal floors, from 300 to 3,850 m. This favors plant formation, mainly humid forest, which contains a great variety of orchids (around 200 species) and other associated species. Las Orquídeas Park is part of the Norandina biogeographic zone (Hérnandez et al. 1992 a, b). This protected area is intended for nature conservation and research with a minimum of agricultural activity (Castaño-Uribe and Cano 1998).

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This area it's important for the conservation of 11 species that triggered some KBA critera: one amphibian species that was Pristimantis aemulatus that triggered A1e criteria; and 5 plants species, Zamia wallisii and Magnolia lenticellata that triggered A1a and B1 criteria, Puya antioquensis that triggered only B1, and Cavendishia subamplexicaulis and Gaultheria oreogena that triggered only B2 criteria. In addition, this KBA is important for the conservation of five bird species that meet several criteria: Sharpe's Wren-Cinnycerthia olivascens (B3b), Red-bellied Grackle-Hypopyrrhus pyrohypogaster (A1b, B3b), Gold-ringed Tanager-Bangsia aureocincta (A1b, B1, B3b) and Black-and-gold Tanager-Bangsia melanochlamys (B3b).

Manageability of the site: This area is managed entirely by the administrative direction from Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia (PNN)

Other site values: The territory is home to indigenous communities such as the Kuna and Embera, and archaeological remains exist mainly at the site of Santa Maria la Antigua Darién. Some collective territories of Black communities can also be found.

Delineation rationale: This area follows the exact delineation of the AP Parque Nacional Natural Las Orquídeas (WDPA ID: 148)

Habitats

Land use: This protected area is intended for nature conservation and research with minimal agricultural activity (Castaño-Uribe and Cano 1998).

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	12	Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland
Shrubland	3.5	Shrubland – Subtropical/tropical dry
Forest	34.5	Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist montane

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The threats present in the area are the expansion of the agricultural frontier, the burning of vegetation, commercial deforestation, the collection of firewood and illegal plantations.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Biological resource use	Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	Ongoing
Biological resource use	Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources	Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest]	Ongoing
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying		Ongoing
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting	Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest]	Ongoing
Climate change & severe weather	Habitat shifting & alteration		Ongoing

Additional information