COTINGA 2 Alto Río Fonce

G uanentá-Alto Río Fonce Fauna and Flora Sanctuary: a new protected area in the Colom bian East Andes

Germán I. Andrade and Augusto Repizzo

R esu m en En 1988 Birdlife International se unió a otras ONGs colombianas en una iniciativa para proteger Virolín, uno de los mejores fragmentos aún existentes del bosque raro de roble andino en la cordillera oriental, departamento de Santander, Colombia, y hogar de dos especies de aves globalmente amenazadas, Odontophorus strophium y Coeligena prunellei. El pasado noviembre, estas iniciativas, con el fuerte compromiso de las comunidades locales, condujeron a que el gobierno colombiano estableciera el Santuario de Flora y Fauna Guanentá-Alto Río Fonce con 10 000 ha de hábitat prístino. At the headwaters of the Río Fonce, in the East tary Eagle Harpyhaliaetus solitarius and the Andes of Santander department, Colombia, is Black-and-chestnut Eagle Oroaetus isidori, a biologically diverse area, long known to sci­ are also believed to occur in the area because entists as Virolín. Its impressive landscape is of their occurrence in the forests of the La characterised by deep ravines, steep slopes Rusia range, adjacent to the sanctuary. covered in luxurious Andean Oak Quercus It has been estimated that more than 100 humboltii, dwarf Polylepis forest on top of species of mammal inhabit the area, amongst sandstone ridges, and wide glacial lakes sur­ which the threatened Spectacled Bear rounded by Andean páramo vegetation above Tremarctos ornatus stands out: a large female the tree-line. The La Rusia páramo is known to be one of the richest for plant species diver­ sity and endemism in the Neotropics3,5 (J. Hernández pers. comm.). Also, on the sur­ rounding forested ridges are the type (and of­ ten only) localities of several endemic amphib­ ians, such as the frogs Centrolenella acanthiodiocephala, Hyla piceigularis and Hyla platydactyla6. Birds comprise one of the most noticeable and diverse natural features in this area. More than 250 species have been recorded, one of which is a Virolín speciality: the Gorgeted Wood-Quail Odontophorus strophium, a threat­ ened Colombian (East Andes) endemic for G orgeted W ood-Quail Odontophorus strophium which these forests represent the only known (Jon Fjeldså) stronghold. Additionally, the threatened Black with her cub was recently observed roaming Inca Coeligena prunellei (which occurs on the near the upper limit of the forest, and another west slope of the East Andes) is found to be was recently killed not far away from Virolín. abundant in this area4. Many other regionally Efforts to preserve the forests and páramo threatened taxa are present in the Virolín of the Virolín area began in the early 1960s, sanctuary, such as Wattled Guan Aburria when researchers from the Colombian Na­ aburri, Andean Cock-of-the-rock Rupicola tional University Natural Science Institute peruviana, and several parrots and parakeets drew it to the attention of the World Conser­ such as White-capped Parrot Pionus vation Union (IUCN) for inclusion in a grow­ tumultuosas, Scaly-naped Parrot Amazona ing list of endangered, but biologically impor­ mercenaria, and the globally threatened tant areas. At the same time, the Colombian Flame-winged Parakeet Pyrrhura calliptera4. Institute for Natural Resources and the En­ Two regionally threatened raptors, the Soli­ vironment (INDERENA) had already included

42 COTINGA 2 Alto Río Fonce Virolín amongst 100 sites that represented top priorities for national biological conservation. Although the forests of Virolín were still standing 20 years later, it was clear that they were increasingly endangered. However, Fundación Natura (a Colombian NGO focused on national biodiversity conservation) re­ sponded to the initiative of a local landowner (Alvaro Caycedo) concerned with the disap­ pearance of the oak forests, and started cam­ paigning to legally protect the area. Institu­ tions such as Birdlife International (then ICBP)1, the Colombian Electricity Fund for the Environment (FEN Colombia), and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) were the first to join these efforts with timely support, and Andean Cock-of-the-rock R upicola peruviana with help to carry out the basic studies re­ (David D. Beadle) quired to justify the preservation of the area R eferences (e.g. Brooke2). Eighteen months later, detailed 1. Anon. (1988) Gorgeted Wood-Quail for pro­ vegetation, land-use and land-tenure maps tection. World Birdwatch 10(2): 4. were made available to INDERENA. These 2. Brooke, M. de L. (1988) The ornithological complemented floral and faunal inventories significance of the Virolín area, Santander, provided by scientists from the Colombian Na­ Colombia, with special reference to tional University. INDERENA and Fundación Gorgeted Wood-Quail Odontophorus Natura held several workshops at which pub­ strophium. Unpublished report. lic expectations and local initiatives for the 3. Cleef, A. (1981) The vegetation of the proposed protected area were built into the páramos of the Colombian Cordillera Ori­ final proposal / feasibility study. ental. Dissertationes Botanicae 61. Vaduz, This unprecedented development initiative Germany: Cramer. was promoted in local and national newspa­ 4. Collar, N. J., Gonzaga, L. R, Krabbe, N., pers and environmental magazines, and as a Madroño Nieto, A., Naranjo, L. G., Parker, result, regional political leaders and local com­ T. A. & Wege, D. C. (1992) Threatened birds munities, aware that this natural area repre­ of the Americas: the ICBP/IUCN Red Data sented an important asset for an economically Book (Third edition, part 2). Cambridge, deprived region, started a public support cam­ U. K.: International Council for Bird Pres­ paign. In November 1993, the Colombian gov­ ervation. ernment formally designated 10 000 ha of 5. Cuatrecanas, J. (1986) Speciation radiation mostly public land, covered with pristine habi­ of the Espeletiinae in the Andes. Pp. 267– tat from 2,200 to 3,900 m, as the Guanentá- 303 in F. Vuilluemier & M. Monasterio eds. Alto Río Fonce Fauna and Flora Sanctuary. High altitude tropical biogeography. Oxford: This sanctuary is the first protected area des­ Oxford University Press. ignated in Colombia for four years, and the 6. Ruiz, P. & Lynch, J. D. (1989) Una nueva first one set aside in Santander department. especie de Centrolenella Noble, 1920 The Guanentá-Alto Río Fonce area stands (Amphibia: Anura, Centroleneidae) de la out not only for its biological value, but for Cordillera Oriental de Colombia. Trianea being the first conservation area in the coun­ 3: 67–55. try for which, according to the new constitu­ tion, protection is the result of community G erm án I. A n d rad e participation. To cope with new conservation Director, Fundación Natura, A.A. 55402, challenges, the relevant institutions are seek­ Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. ing support from international agencies with the aim of making this conservation effort tan­ Augusto Repizzo gibly beneficial to the region and its inhabit­ División de Parques Nacionales, INDERENA, ants, both human and floral and faunal. Colombia.

43 COTINGA 2 Alto Río Fonce

The Heart of G uanentá Sanctuary: slopes covered by tropical oak forest with high rocky pá ram o above the tree line (Augusto Repizzo)

Sub-Andean and Andean oak forests of the interior valley of the G uanentá Sanctuary (Augusto Repizzo)

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