Arenal-Monteverde (20407)
Costa Rica, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1d, A1e, B2
Year of last assessment: 2021
National site name: Arenal-Monteverde
Central coordinates: Latitude: 10.3077, Longitude: -84.7705
Area of KBA (km2): 983.91702
Protected area coverage (%): 57.29
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site is in central Costa Rica and acts as a biological corridor between the Caribbean and Pacifc sectors. Eight protected areas are within the site boundary - Arenal National Park, Arenal-Monteverde Protected Zone, Arenal Volcano Emergency Zone, Peñas Blancas National Wildlife Refuge, Montes de Oro Protected Zone, Curi Cancha National Wildlife Refuge, Cuenca del Río Abangares Protected Zone, and the Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve. The area received approximately 5,000 mm of rain yearly, supporting diverse tropical and cloud forests. This site includes one of the world's most active volcanoes in Arenal Volcano.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site contains the entire known population of the critically endangered amphibian Craugastor angelicus. An additional 38 species of birds meet the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: Chamaepetes unicolor Crax rubra Odontophorus leucolaemus Piculus simplex Celeus castaneus Semnornis frantzii Pharomachrus mocinno Electron carinatum Ara ambiguus Touit costaricensis Panterpe insignis Eupherusa nigriventris Elvira cupreiceps Lampornis hemileucus Calliphlox bryantae Selasphorus scintilla Megascops clarkii Zentrygon costaricensis Zentrygon chiriquensis Aphanotriccus capitalis Contopus lugubris Empidonax atriceps Cotinga amabilis Cephalopterus glabricollis Procnias tricarunculatus Manacus candei Dysithamnus striaticeps Margarornis rubiginosus Thripadectes rufobrunneus Scytalopus argentifrons Ptiliogonys caudatus Phainoptila melanoxantha Myadestes melanops Pheugopedius atrogularis Cantorchilus thoracicus Troglodytes ochraceus Microcerculus philomela Pselliophorus tibialis Arremon crassirostris Oreothlypis gutturalis Myioborus torquatus Basileuterus melanogenys Zeledonia coronata Chlorospingus pileatus Chrysothlypis chrysomelas Lanio leucothorax Heterospingus rubrifrons Ramphocelus sanguinolentus Ramphocelus passerinii Bangsia arcaei Euphonia luteicapilla Euphonia gouldi Euphonia anneae Chlorophonia callophrys Tangara dowii Diglossa plumbea Pheucticus tibialis Caryothraustes poliogaster Psarocolius montezuma Zentrygon lawrencii Lampornis calolaemus Icterus prosthemelas Trogon collaris Myiodynastes hemichrysus
Other site values: Forty-nine percent of this site presently falls within Costa Rica's protected area network. All sites are managed by federal or national minstries or agencies except for Curi Cancha National Wildlife Refuge which is managed by local landowners.
Delineation rationale: Site was intially delineated as an IBA in 2007.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 90 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Climate change & severe weather | Other impacts | Unknown |