Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve
Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve | |
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Stipa ichu in the reserve. | |
Location | Bolivia Potosí Department, Sur Lípez Province |
Coordinates | 22°32′06″S 67°39′00″W / 22.53500°S 67.65000°W |
Area | 7147.45 km2 |
Established | 1973 |
Visitors | 67,000 (in 2007) |
Governing body | Servicio Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (SERNAP) |
The Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve (Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa; Spanish acronym: REA) is located in Sur Lípez Province. Situated in the far southwestern region of Bolivia, it is the country's most visited protected area.[1] It is considered the most important protected area in terms of tourist influx in the Potosí Department.
Located at an altitude between 4,200 m (13,800 ft) and 5,400 m (17,700 ft)[
History
Established in 1973, the national park is named after
Geography
The reserve is situated in the southern region of
Lakes include
An unusual natural feature of attraction (much photographed) in the reserve is an isolated rock formation projecting out of the sand dunes of Siloli at a place known as Árbol de Piedra. It is about 18 km (11 mi) north of Laguna Colorada. It is known as the “Stone Tree” as it is in the shape of a stunted tree, which is formed as a thin rock due to strong wind action.[11][12]
The climate in winter (May to August) is dry, generally with no rain during the summer (December to April). The average temperature is 3 °C (37 °F). The lowest temperatures are recorded during the months of May, June and July.
Mountains
The park contains the following mountains:
- Sairecabur – 5,971 m, border with Chile
- Putana– 5,890 m
- Licancabur – 5,920 m, border with Chile
- Piedras Grandes – 5,710 m
- Chijlla – 5,709 m
- Callejón Chico – 5,708 m
- Aguas Calientes – 5,684 m
- Wilama – 5,678 m, border with Argentina
- Bravo – 5,656 m
- Sanabria – 5,654 m
- Loromayu – 5,641 m
- Silata Chahuna – 5640 m
- Juriques – 5,704 m, border with Chile
- Poderosa – 5,614 m
- Quebrada Honda – 5,593 m
- Guayaques – 5,598 m
- Cahuna – 5,583 m
- Waylla Yarita – 5,578 m
- Amarillo – 5,560 m
- Tres Cumbres – 5,509 m
- Pabellón – 5,498 m
- Aguita Brava – 5,485 m
- Baratera – 5,484 m
- Bajo – 5,468 m, border with Argentina
- Puripica Chico – 5,464 m
- Suri Phuyu – 5,458 m
- Panizo – 5,456 m
- Tinte – 5,384 m, border with Argentina
- Brajma – 5,356 m
- Guacha – 5,340 m
- Viscachillos – 5,301 m
- Lagunitas – 5,287 m
- Michina – 5,537 m
- Colorado – 5,264 m
- Sandoncito – 5,252 m
- Lagunitas – 5,203 m
- Estrato – 5,193 m
- Letrato – 5,193 m
- Chicalin – 5,123 m
- Cojita – 5,116 m
- Zapaleri – 5,090 m, border with Argentina and Chile
- Nelly – 5,078 m
- Linzor – 5,680 m
- Puntas Negras – 4,963 m
- Totoral – 4,963 m
- Cueva Blanca – 4,957 m
- Chaco Seguro – 4,948 m
- Loromita – 4,846 m
Culture
Quetena Chico, founded in the 1920s, has a population 520, while Quetena Grande, founded shortly thereafter, is the smaller of the two and has a population of 180. Although the inhabitants are of Quechua descent, their primary language is Spanish. Health care and schooling were unavailable until the 1990s, while electricity and potable water systems were also unavailable at least until 2005.[1] Near Quetena Chico, there are some archaeological remains, jaranas (stone huts), tambos (trail markers), rock paintings, and a ceremonial site lying in a depression between two volcanoes.[13] Atulcha (or Chullpares), is an archeological site with mummies in a cave on Tunupa Volcano.
Economy
The most important income generating activity for the two local communities has been
Mining is a major industry in and around the reserve, rich in natural resources of veins of
Flora
The reserve in the Andean has vegetation consisting of tropical alpine herbs with dwarf shrubs of the forests of Polylepis.
Fauna
The reserve is habitat for ten
The fauna is characterized by the presence of species that have adapted to extreme living conditions in the region, some of them endangered. The reserve is home to 80 species of birds. Out of six flamingo species in the world, three species, namely the Chilean, Andean and James flamingos are found in very large numbers in the freshwater lakes and saltwater lagoons of the reserve; of the
Mammals reported in the protected reserve are 23 species, which include
Threats
The region of Polylepis forests as a whole has been subject to heavy degradation. The overuse of
Conservation
The Conservancy and the Bolivian National Protected Areas Service (SERNAP) has the onus for operating and maintaining the reserve with its trained 14 park guards who are provided with patrol vehicles and two-way radios. However, keeping in view the growing influx of tourists to the park and other threats from other sources as reported, SERNAP has prepared a Master Plan for park management plan subsuming ecotourism as an essential component to generate financial resources.[6] According to Andy Drumm, director of the Ecotourism Program, entrance fees at the reserve amounted to about $200,000 in 2006.[15] This necessitated a scientific study on the carrying capacity of the reserve due to large influx of tourists. However, SERNAP is associating the TROPICO (created in 1986 as a non-governmental, non-profit organization for biodiversity conservation in Bolivia.[16]) as its conservancy partner to introduce and enforce environmental regulations in the reserve.[3]
Parks in Peril (PiP), a program of intervention, a collaboration between "the
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-979-3361-81-9. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "Central Andean dry puna". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Bolivia: Eduardo Avaroa National Andean Fauna Reserve" (PDF). Ecotourism Emphasis Provides Dollars, Incentive to Protect Flamingo Haven South America Conservation Region: Southern Andes. parksinperil.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2.)
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ a b c d e f g h "Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve of Andean Fauna". The Nature Conservancy. Archived from the original on May 29, 2006. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
- ^ a b c d e The Nature Conservancy (U.S.) (2003). Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-903471-21-0. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ^ "The Annotated Ramsar List: Bolivia". Ramsar. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "Los Lípez Ramsar Site Map" (PDF). Retrieved 12 February 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ The South American handbook. Trade & Travel Publications ltd. 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-4120-1909-5. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-74104-998-5. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-58843-565-1. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ^ "Reserva Eduardo Avaroa and Los Lípez". footprinttravelguides.com. Archived from the original on 17 November 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-59726-126-5. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ^ "About Us". tropico.org. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ^ a b "Parks in Peril: Eduardo Avaroa National Andean Fauna Reserve". The Nature Conservancy. Archived from the original on 29 May 2006. Retrieved 25 June 2011.