Rio La Pasion (20356)
Guatemala, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Río La Pasión
Central coordinates: Latitude: 16.3972, Longitude: -90.2490
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 125 to 300
Area of KBA (km2): 1849.69935
Protected area coverage (%): 99.02
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Rio La Pasion is located in the Atlantic slope lowlands. The western limit is marked by the Usumacinta river, bordering Chiapas, Mexico.
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 (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: Rio La Pasion is an important site for 12 species restricted to the Gulf Caribbean Slope. Recent ornithological information is limited to an ecological rapid assessment (AHT 2000) and some additional species records (Eisermann & Avendaño 2007).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Humid broadleaf forests cover 39% of the IBA, wetlands (including forested wetlands) cover 9%. About 26% of the IBA are used for agriculture: 19% corn fields, 4% cattle farming, 4% oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) (MAGA 2006).
Land use: agriculture (45%) | fisheries/aquaculture (2%) | forestry | hunting | nature conservation and research (100%) | rangeland/pastureland (4%) | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport (1%) | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 22 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Grassland | 3 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 27 | |
| Forest | 43 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Protected areas in this IBA lack appropriate management and surveillance. Natural habitat is threatened by an advancing agricultural border and forest fires (ParksWatch 2002).
Additional information
References: AHT International GmbH. 2000. Diseño de un sistema de monitoreo y evaluación de indicadores biológicos para las áreas protegidas del sur de Petén. SEGEPLAN-PROSELVA, Guatemala. (Unpublished report) CONAP. 2007. Lista de áreas protegidas inscritas en el SIGAP. Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (CONAP), Guatemala. (Database accessed in June 2007) Eisermann, K. & C. Avendaño. 2007. Lista comentada de las aves de Guatemala - Annotated checklist of the birds of Guatemala. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. MAGA. 2006. Mapa de cobertura vegetal y uso de la tierra a escala 1:50,000 de la República de Guatemala, Año 2003 (Incluye 5 cultivos perennes actualizados al año 2005). Memoria técnica y descripción de resultados. Ministerio de Agricultura Ganadería y Alimentación –MAGA– / Unidad de Planificación Geográfica y Gestión de Riesgo –UPGGR–, Guatemala Ciudad, Guatemala. ParksWatch. 2002. Park profile–Guatemala: Ceibal Cultural Monument. ParksWatch Guatemala. Available online at: www.parkswatch.org
Contributors: Wildlife Conservation Society - Guatemala hosted a workshop to identify IBAs in Peten in July 2006. Input of unpublished data and suggestions for the delimitation of the IBA was provided during this workshop by representatives of Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas (CONAP) - Peten, ProPeten, Wildlife Conservation Society - Guatemala, and Tikal National Park. This first assessment of IBAs in Guatemala was conducted by Sociedad Guatemalteca de Ornitología and BirdLife International in the Americas.