Río Cajamarca (24457)
Peru, South America

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1a, B2

Year of last assessment: 2023

National site name: Río Cajamarca

Central coordinates: Latitude: -7.1050, Longitude: -78.4010

System: terrestrial, freshwater

Elevation (m): 2724 to 3572

Area of KBA (km²): 387.21526

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The KBA Río Cajamarca covers an area of 387.21 sq km and it's located within the districts of Namora, Llacanora, Encañada and Los Baños del Inca of province of Cajamarca and the district of Gregorio Pita of province of San Marcos, both in the department of Cajamarca. The altitude range of the KBA Río Cajamarca is 2724-3572 masl. The weather is dry, temperate and sunny. The maximum temperature ranges from 21.2 °C to 22.2 °C, while the minimum temperature from 4.9 °C to 9.7 °C. The annual precipitation varies between 6.1 mm and 118.8 mm. The KBA Río Cajamarca presents ca. 0.1 % of Bofedal (Peatlands), ca. 2.5 % of Jalca (Jalca), ca. 0.1 % of Lakes and lagoons, ca. 39.6 % of Matorral andino (Andean scrubland), ca. 0.1 % of Plantación forestal (Forestal plantation) and ca. 57.6 % of Agricultural zone.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The KBA Río Cajamarca qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for A1 and B2 criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBA. The Río Cajamarca KBA harbors the geographically range restricted bird species Synallaxis hypochondriaca and Scytalopus unicolor, and the critically Endangered plant, Matucana aureiflora.

Additional biodiversity: Taphrolesbia griseiventris, Agriornis albicauda, Anairetes nigrocristatus, Turdus maranonicus, Incaspiza personata

Manageability of the site: The KBA Río Cajamarca can potentially be administered by the regional government of Cajamarca (https://www.regioncajamarca.gob.pe/) because it has the capacity to establish Regional Conservation Areas. The National Coordination Group of KBAs has a conservation promotion and monitoring committee, which is composed of various governmental and civil society institutions that will work to promote conservation actions in the KBA.

Delineation rationale: The KBA Río Cajamarca follows the limits of the Río Cajamarca (BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Río Cajamarca. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 12/05/2023). In the south it borders the city of Cajamarca, to the north it crosses the Paccha, Azufre and Río Grande rivers, excluding cultivation areas, to the east it crosses the La Encañada River to the Tambomayo River and Río Seco.

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: Other 60-70% Wetland (inland) 1-10% Grassland 20-30%

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Wetlands(Inland)	5
Other	65
Grassland	25

Threats

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Energy production & mining
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas		Ongoing
Biological resource use	Gathering terrestrial plants		Ongoing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing

Additional information

References: SENAMHI National Map of Ecoregions of MINAM (2018)