Los Katíos National Park

Los Katíos National Park, in the mountains and forests of the Darién isthmus, is one of Colombia’s best preserved protected areas, important for very high biodiversity, high regional endemism and as a filter and major convergence zone of South and Central American taxa. Contiguous to the much larger Darién National Park of Panama which is also a World Heritage Site, these two areas together protect a representative sample of one of the world’s most species-rich areas of moist lowland and highland rainforest, with exceptional endemism. Extending over 72,000 hectares in north-western Colombia, the park is located in the Colombian mountain zone up to an elevation of 600m and encompasses significant wetland areas, including the extensive Ciénagas de Tumaradó. It is the only place in South America where a large number of Central American species occur, including threatened species such as the American Crocodile, Giant Anteater and Central American Tapir.

Vegetation

This is part of one of the most species-rich lowland forest areas in the world, unusual in resembling a mid-elevation cloud forest, with fern cover and epiphytes. It is at the northern end of the Chocó-Darién moist forest ecoregion, one of the world’s largest active centres of speciation and endemism. Owing to their location at the southern end of the Central American land bridge, the mountains of the Darién isthmus filtered the interchange of flora and fauna between North and South America during Tertiary and Pleistocene periods, a process which continues today. It is thought to be the site of a Pleistocene refuge and is certainly the last refuge in the area for many species which would otherwise become extinct. This is still the only area in South America where large numbers of Central American taxa are found. A total of 669 plant species had been recorded by 1993, 20-25% endemic (Government of Colombia, 1993). 71% of the vegetation is tropical forest composed of flooded evergreen forest; second-growth forest and lowland evergreen forest. 28% is freshwater marsh, swamp, rivers and streams, and 1% is estuarine (BirdLife International, 2008).

The lowland swamp forests of the Park are of three types: swamp margins dominated by Montrichardia arborescens with Polygonum acuminatum, the Panganal consociaton of Raphia taedigera, Erythrina fusca, Pachira aquatica, Prioria copaifera, and Ficus dendriocida and the Cativo, a floodland vegetation type found only in Colombia, south Central America and Jamaica where cativo trees Prioria copaifera of up to 50m occur, with epiphytes and ferns. The aquatic vegetation is dominated by the water hyacinth Eichhornia azurea. The remainder is lowland to pre-montane tropical rainforest. These are characterised by Cavanillesia platanifolia, Ceiba petandra, Hura crepitans, wild cashew Anacardium excelsum, and palma mil pesos Jessenia polycarps. The understorey has Ochroma lagopus, Cecropia spp. and Cochlospermum vitifolium. A second main association is of Brosimum utile with rubber tree Castilla elastica.

Fauna

The very high rainfall of the area has acted as a barrier to the distribution of many vertebrate species (WWF, 2001). Nevertheless, the region’s faunal and avian diversity and endemism are both high. Some 550 species of vertebrates (excluding fish) have been found in the Park. Threatened mammals include giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla (VU), bush dog Speothos venaticus and Central American tapir Tapirus bairdii (EN) (Gov’t of Colombia, 1993; INDERENA, 1984). A 1981 WCMC description of the National Park cited the presence of jaguar Panthera onca, coypu Myocaster coypus and spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus. Los Katíos also harbours several Central American species found only here in South America such as Desmarest’s spiny pocket mouse Heteromys desmarestianus and several birds. The American manatee Trichechus manatus (VU) has recently been found in the Ciénaga de Tumuradó and the American crocodile Crocodylus acutus (VU) occurs in the Ciénaga de Cacarica.

More than 450 species of birds (representing 25% and 50% of the avifauna of Colombia and Panama respectively) have been recorded in the Park (412 in 2003, BirdLife International, 2008b). Threatened lowland species include the black oropendola Psarocolius guatimozinus and perhaps the Baudo Psarocolius cassini (EN), Choco tinamou Crypturellis kerriae (VU) and speckled ant-shrike Xenornis setifrons (VU). The Serranía del Tacarcuna is home to many endemic species such as the Tacarcuna wood-quail Odontophorus dialeucos (VU), grey-headed chachalaca Ortalis cinereiceps, rufous-cheeked hummingbird and violet-capped hummingbirds Goethalsia bella and Goldmania violiceps; also the great green macaw Ara ambiguus (EN), great curassow Crax rubra (VU) and cerulean warbler Dendroica cerulea (VU) plus several near-threatened species: harpy eagle Harpia harpyja, northern screamer Chauna chavaria, russet-crowned quail-dove Geotrygon goldmani, sooty-capped puffbird Bucco noanamae and black-crowned antpitta Pittasoma michleri (BirdLife International, 2008).

Most mountain species are not threatened at present but their very small range sizes may leave them vulnerable to disturbance (Stattersfield et al., 2000). The number of reptiles and amphibians in the ecoregion is high, but apart from the endemic mountain frog Rhamphophyrne acrolopha no others are listed for the site.

Conservation Value

The mountains and forests of the Darién isthmus in Los Katíos form one of the best preserved protected areas in Columbia, important for their very high biodiversity, high regional endemism and as a filter and major convergence zone for South and Central American taxa owing to their location. This is still the only area in South America where large numbers of Central American taxa are found. The Park is contiguous with Darién National Park World Heritage site, the two parks protecting a total of 669,000 ha of the region's ecosystems as well as outstanding scenery (Government of Colombia, 1993; Pintor, 1992). The Park lies within a Conservation International-designated Conservation Hotspot, a WWF Global 200 Eco-region, a WWF/IUCN Centre of Plant Diversity and in one of the world’s Endemic Bird Areas.

Cultural Heritage

The region was previously inhabited by the Kunas, an indigenous group which was forced to migrate to Panama because of inter-tribal fighting with the Katío-Embera group which is now established throughout Colombia's Chocó region. The Darién region, including Los Katíos, was historically important for the crossing of the first colonisers from North America some 20,000 years ago, as has been confirmed by the discovery of archaeological remains. The Spanish conquistadors Rodrigo de Bastidas, Alonso de Ojeda and Vasco Núñez de Balboa visited the area in 1501 (INDERENA, 1984).

Local Human Population

Human activities are concentrated in Sautatá. Some 700 ha (1% of the Park) was originally cultivated, mostly for sugar cane, by 700 people. By 1981 some 150 families inhabiting the Park were relocated in the nearby towns of Unguía, Puente América, Tumaradó and Cacarica. Their settlements are now inhabited by timber traders whose activities have threatened the Park for over 20 years. The rest of the Park has never been cultivated, although there has always been occasional felling of timber trees such as Ceiba petandra and Cedrela (Government of Colombia, 1993). There is commercial fishing and heavy boat traffic on the Atrato River but this does not affect the land area of the Park. Some of the local Kuna, Embera and Wounaan peoples may come under great pressure when the Pan-American Highway is completed.

Visitors and Visitor Facilities

Less than 700 visitors reach the Park every year and there have been trails and lodges housing 20 people since 1990. Access to the administrative centre at Sautatá is by boat from Turbo on the Gulf of Urabá which can be reached by air from Medellín. Alternative access is from Quibdó and Riosucio which connect with Sautatá via the Río Atrato (Government of Colombia, 1993).