Cuchumatanes (20360)
Guatemala, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1d, A1e, B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2018
National site name: Cuchumatanes
Central coordinates: Latitude: 15.7128, Longitude: -91.3150
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 400 to 3800
Area of KBA (km2): 2992.82841
Protected area coverage (%): 3.78
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA is located in the western part of the Atlantic slope mountain range of Guatemala. It includes the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes and surroundings, ranging from Laguna Yolnabaj near the border to Chiapas, Mexico, to Uspantan in the East. The site ranges in altitude from 400 to 3800 m.
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. Alliance for Zero Extinction (2018): site confirmed as an AZE site during the AZE project (2015-2018). Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2016 Red List.
Additional biodiversity: Cuchumatanes is important for species of the North Central American Highlands (10 species recorded) and biome-restricted species of the Madrean Highlands (30 species). The site supports populations of three globally threatened species: Horned and Highland Guan (Oreophasis derbianus and Penelopina nigra) and Pink-headed Warbler (Ergaticus versicolor). Recent ornithological information is based on ecological rapid assessments (Sandoval 2000, García Barrientos & Gaitán Conzález 2003, Pérez 2006) and surveys focused on Horned Guan (Cóbar Carranza & Rivas Romero 2005, Cóbar Carranza 2006).
Delineation rationale: Three 2005 AZE sites -- Eastern slopes of Sierra de los Cuchumatanes (SitRecID 26830), Northern slopes of Sierra de los Cuchumatanes (SitRecID 26832) and Quebrada Sancapech (SitRecID 26668) -- were merged to form the 2010 AZE 'Montanas Los Angeles - Soloma - Todos Santos Cuchumatanes', which falls within the 2007 IBA 'Cuchumatanes' (SitRecID 20360).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: About 48% of the IBA are covered with conifer, broadleaf, and mixed forest. About 46% are used for agriculture, mainly corn fields, plantations of coffee and cardamom, and secondary growth scrub (MAGA 2006).
Land use: agriculture (46%) | forestry | hunting | nature conservation and research (2%) | rangeland/pastureland (5%) | urban/industrial/transport (1%) | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 14 | |
| Forest | 48 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 1 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 1 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 32 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Natural habitat is threatened by an advancing agricultural border and forest fires.
Additional information
References: Cóbar Carranza, A. J. 2006. Distribución actual y selección de sitios para el estudio y conservación del pavo de cacho (Oreophasis derbianus Gray 1844) en los departamentos de San Marcos y Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Tesis de Licenciatura, Univ. San Carlos, Guatemala. Cóbar Carranza, A. J. & J. A. Rivas Romero. 2005. Distribución actual y selección de sitios para el estudio y conservación del pavo de cacho (Oreophasis derbianus G. R. Gray, 1844) en los departamentos de San Marcos y Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Pp. 8-13 In J. Rivas, E. Secaira & J. Cornejo (eds.) Memorias II Simposium Internacional Oreophasis derbianus, 7-9 Abril 2005, Reserva Los Tarrales, Patulul, Suchitepéquez, Guatemala. The Nature Conservancy, Guatemala. CONAP. 2007. Lista de áreas protegidas inscritas en el SIGAP. Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (CONAP), Guatemala. (Database accessed in June 2007) García Barrientos, A. & L. B. Gaitán González. 2003. Evaluación rápida de la avifauna en tres sitios identificados por PROCUCH como prioritarios para conservación de: Todos Santos Cuchumatán, Pepajau-Magdalena y Cerro Cruz Maltín, Sierra de Los Cuchumatanes, Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Fundación Interamericana de Investigación Tropical (FIIT), Guatemala. (Unpublished report) 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. Pérez, E. S. 2006. Propuesta de areas importantes para la conservación de aves en Huehuetenango. Fundación para el Ecodesarrollo y la Conservación FUNDAECO, Guatemala. (Unpublished report) Sandoval, K. J. (ed.) 2000. Biodiversidad de Huehuetenango. Centro de Datos para la Conservación, Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas, Univ. San Carlos, Guatemala.
Contributors: Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas (CONAP) - Solola supported a workshop to identify IBAs in June 2006, hosted by Universdad del Valle (UVG) Altiplano in Solola. Input of unpublished data and suggestions for the delimitation of the IBA was provided during this workshop by representatives of CONAP, UVG Altiplano, Fundación para el Ecodesarrollo y la Conservación (FUNDAECO) - Huehuetenango, Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alimentación de Guatemala (MAGA) - Solola, Cuerpo de Paz, Municipality of Tecpan, Autoridad para el Manejo Sustentable de la Cuenca del Lago Atitlán y su Entorno (AMSCLAE), and Los Tarrales Nature Reserve. This first assessment of IBAs in Guatemala was conducted by Sociedad Guatemalteca de Ornitologia and BirdLife International in the Americas.