Yalijux (20368)
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: Yalijux
Central coordinates: Latitude: 15.4378, Longitude: -89.9873
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 50 to 2600
Area of KBA (km2): 1630.78183
Protected area coverage (%): 2.10
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Yalijux is located in the Atlantic slope mountain range of Guatemala. Bordered by the rivers Cahabon and Polochic, this IBA includes forest fragments extending from cloud forest at 2600 m elevation to rainforest at 50 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: Yalijux is an important site for birds restricted to the North Central American Highlands (16 species recorded) and biome-restricted species of the Madrean Highlands (39 species). The site supports populations of three globally threatened species, the resident Highland Guan (Penelopina nigra) and Pink-headed Warbler (Ergaticus versicolor), and Golden-cheeked Warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) during migration. Ornithological research has been focused on the high-elevation areas of this IBA (Eisermann 1999, 2001, 2005, Renner 2003), Renner et. al 2006, Eisermann et al. 2006).
Other site values: The land is mainly privately and communal owned.
Delineation rationale: Site includes the 2005 AZE site of Sierra de Xucaneb.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Humid evergreen broadleaf and mixed forest cover has been reduced to 18% within the IBA (MAGA 2006). Deforested land is used for small-scale agriculture run by families and small enterprises (77% of the IBA), mainly for corn fields (19%), coffee (10%) and cardamom plantations (8%), including secondary growth scrub (31%). Alternative perennial crops (fruit trees) and reforestations have been established recently in order to lower the pressure on the primary forest.
Land use: agriculture (77%) | forestry | hunting | nature conservation and research (3%) | rangeland/pastureland | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport (1%) | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 1 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 1 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 48 | |
| Forest | 19 | |
| Shrubland | 31 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Slash-and-burn agriculture is common in the area, threatening the forest by fires and conversion to agricultural land. Although pressure on natural habitat has been lowered on the short term by providing forest easements and other alternative income among local farmers (agriculture, research, tourism), long-term protection in uncertain, because the Guatemalan human population is growing rapidly.
Additional information
References: CONAP. 2007. Lista de áreas protegidas inscritas en el SIGAP. Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (CONAP), Guatemala. (Database accessed in June 2007) Eisermann, K. 1999. Avifaunistisch-ökologische Untersuchungen in einer Nebelwaldregion Guatemalas als Grundlage für die Entwicklung eines Biomonitoringprogamms. Diplomarbeit, Fachhochschule Eberswalde, Alemania. Eisermann, K. 2001. Reporte de avance: investigaciones de la avifauna de las regiones Ik'bolay, Guaxac y Sacranix, Alta Verapaz. Unpublished report to BIDAS/Proyecto Eco-Quetzal, Cobán. Eisermann, K. 2005. Noteworthy bird observations in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 125: 3-11. Eisermann, K. & U. Schulz. 2005. Birds of a high-altitude cloud forest in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Revista de Biología Tropical 53: 577-594. Eisermann, K., N. Herrera & O. Komar. 2006. Highland Guan (Penelopina nigra). Pp. 90-95. In D. M. Brooks (Ed.) Conserving Cracids: the most threatened family of birds in the Americas. Miscellaneous Publications of the Houston Museum of Natural Science 6. 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. Renner, S. C. 2003. Structure and diversity of cloud forest bird communities in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, and implications for conservation. Doctoral thesis, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany. Renner, S. C., M. Waltert & M. Mühlenberg. 2006. Comparison of bird communities in primary vs. young secondary tropical montane cloud forest in Guatemala. Biodiversity and Conservation 15: 1545-1575.
Contributors: PROEVAL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Program provided unpublished ornithological data. Input of unpublished data and suggestions for the delimitation of the IBA was provided during a workshop in Cobán, in August 2006, by representatives of Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas (CONAP) - Las Verapaces, Asociación de Proyectos Evaluados Raxmu (PROEVAL RAXMU), Peace Corps, Cooperativa Sanimtaca, Cooperativa Samac, and Comité Central Menotita. This first assessment of IBAs in Guatemala was conducted by Sociedad Guatemalteca de Ornitología and BirdLife International in the Americas.