Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area
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Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area (''Parque Nacional y Area Natural de Manejo Integrado Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco)'' is the biggest national park in Bolivia and one of the largest in
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
. It is a protected area in the region of the
Gran Chaco The Gran Chaco or Dry Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semiarid lowland natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato ...
and has a larger surface area than
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
. It is situated in the south of
Santa Cruz Department Santa Cruz () is the largest of the nine constituent departments of Bolivia, occupying about one-third (33.74%) of the country's territory. With an area of , it is slightly smaller than Japan or the US state of Montana. It is located in the e ...
on the border with
Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
in the Cordillera Province ( Charagua Municipality) and
Chiquitos Province Chiquitos Province is one of the fifteen provinces of the Bolivian Santa Cruz Department, situated in the center of the department. Its capital is San José de Chiquitos. The province was created on January 23, 1826, during the presidency of ma ...
(
Pailón Pailón is a small town in Bolivia. It is in the second municipal section of Chiquitos Province and is east of the city Santa Cruz de la Sierra Santa Cruz de la Sierra (; "Holy Cross of the Mountain Range"), commonly known as Santa Cruz, is ...
and
San José de Chiquitos San José de Chiquitos or simply San José is the capital of Chiquitos Province in the Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. It is known as part of the ''Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos'', which is declared in 1990 a World Heritage Site, as a former ...
municipalities).


Etymology

Kaa-Iya is a term from
Guarani mythology The Tupi-Guarani mythology is the set of narratives about the gods and spirits of the different Tupi-Guarani languages, Tupi-Guarani peoples, ancient and current. Together with the cosmogonies, anthropogonies and rituals, they form part of the re ...
which means "mountain owners", or a place where riches are found, in the sense of abundance of natural resources and the relationship between man and nature.


Geography

*Area: 3,441,115  
hectares The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is a ...
(34,411.15 km2) *Altitude: between 100 and 839 meters above sea level. *Rainfall: 1,400 to 400 mm annually. *Hydrology: The principal river is the Parapetí, among many others. *Coordinates: Latitude 17º42’30’’ - 20º02’30" S, Longitude 60º03’30’’ – 62º31’30’’ W


Characteristics of the area

It is principally known for containing the largest tropical wooded area in the world. It also contains an incredible range of animal species, most notably the last remaining large felidae and more than 100 other distinct species of mammal. Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco is linked with Otuquis National Park and newly created Ñembi Guasu conservation area, covering about 60,000 km2 of Gran-Chaco forest.


Flora

880 species of
vascular plants Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes () or collectively Tracheophyta (), form a large group of land plants ( accepted known species) that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They ...
and 28 species of spore plants (plants without flowers) have been registered in the National Park, as well as an estimated 1500 species of higher plants. Some examples which stand out are the red quebracho (''
Schinopsis lorentzii ''Schinopsis lorentzii'' is a hardwood tree known as red quebracho, native of the Paraguayan subtropical area, which forms forests in Gran Chaco region of Argentina, in Paraguay, and Bolivia. Some of its common names are ''coronillo'', ''quebrach ...
''), black soto (''
Schinopsis cornuta ''Schinopsis'' is a genus of South American trees in the family Anacardiaceae, also known by the common names quebracho, quebracho colorado and red quebracho. In Brazil it is known as ''baraúna'' or ''braúna''. Description The species within t ...
''), black guayacán ('' Izozogia nelly''), cuchi (''
Myracrodruon urundeuva ''Myracrodruon urundeuva'' (Portuguese common names: aroeira-do-sertão, aroeira preta, urundeúva, urindeúva, arindeúva) is a timber tree, which is often used for beekeeping. This plant is native to Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, and ...
''), purple guayacán (''
Bulnesia sarmientoi ''Bulnesia sarmientoi'' (recently reclassified as ''Gonopterodendron sarmientoi'') is a tree that inhabits a part of the Gran Chaco area in South America, around the Argentina-Bolivia-Paraguay border. Its wood is often traded as "Paraguay ''lig ...
''), soto de arenales (''
Schinopsis corneta ''Schinopsis'' is a genus of South American trees in the family Anacardiaceae, also known by the common names quebracho, quebracho colorado and red quebracho. In Brazil it is known as ''baraúna'' or ''braúna''. Description The species within t ...
''), and cupesí (''
Prosopis chilensis ''Prosopis chilensis'' is a species of tree in the genus ''Prosopis'', belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is found in parts of central Chile, southern Peru, Bolivia, and Andean (northwestern) Argentina. Its common names include Chilean mesqui ...
''). Other important species are the floss silk tree (''
Chorisia speciosa ''Ceiba'' is a genus of trees in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas (from Mexico and the Caribbean to N Argentina) and tropical West Africa. Some species can grow to tall or more, with a straight, la ...
''), Iberá-Bira (''
Caesalpinia paraguariensis ''Libidibia paraguariensis'' (the guayacaú negro or ibirá-berá) is a species of legume in the family Fabaceae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. It is threatened by habitat loss. Guayacaú negro is used for timber in ...
''), mistol (''
Ziziphus mistol ''Ziziphus mistol'' or mistol is a spiniferous tree of the family Rhamnaceae, that belongs to genus '' Ziziphus'', natural (and very abundant) of certain areas of Gran Chaco, South America. The word "mistol" derives from colonial era Spanish, fr ...
''), other species such as '' Bougainvillea praecox'', '' Acacia feddeana'', ''
Aspidosperma pyrifolium ''Aspidosperma'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1824. It is native to South America, Central America, southern Mexico, and the West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North ...
'', wax palm (''
Copernicia alba ''Copernicia alba'' is a South American species of palm tree, which is found in the Humid Chaco ecoregion in Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, Brazil (in the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul) and Argentina (especially the province of ...
'') and palma saó ('' Trithrinax schizophylla'').


Fauna

The fauna present in the area is representative of the Chaqueña plains region, with 350 registered species, 89 species of snakes, 301 species of birds, 65 species of small mammals and 59 species of large mammals. Foremost among these are the Chacoan peccary, known locally as ''tagua'' or ''quilimero pig'', a common species in Chaco, armadillos ('' Tolypeutes matacus'' and '' Chlamyphorus retusus''), common in the region, the Chacoan mara and
Conover's tuco-tuco Conover's tuco-tuco (''Ctenomys conoveri'') is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, T ...
. The jaguar, puma, ocelot and
maned wolf The maned wolf (''Chrysocyon brachyurus'') is a large canine of South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay, and is almost extinct in Uruguay. Its markings resemble those of foxes, but it is neither a fox nor a w ...
can also be found. The presence of
guanacos The guanaco (; ''Lama guanicoe'') is a camelid native to South America, closely related to the llama. Guanacos are one of two wild South American camelids, the other being the vicuña, which lives at higher elevations. Etymology The guanaco g ...
has been confirmed in the sand-dunes in the south-east of the Natural Area. The
white-lipped peccary The white-lipped peccary (''Tayassu pecari'') is a species of peccary found in Central and South America and the only member of the genus ''Tayassu''. Multiple subspecies have been identified. White-lipped peccaries are similar in appearance to ...
, armadillo, giant armadillo,
silvery marmoset The silvery marmoset (''Mico argentatus'') is a New World monkey that lives in the eastern Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. The fur of the silvery marmoset is colored whitish silver-grey except for a dark tail. Remarkable are its naked, flesh-color ...
,
black howler The black howler (''Alouatta caraya'') or black-and-gold howler, is among the largest New World monkeys and a member of the '' Alouatta'' genus. The black howler is distributed in areas of South America such as Paraguay, southern Brazil, easte ...
monkey,
pampas deer The Pampas deer (''Ozotoceros bezoarticus'') is a species of deer that live in the grasslands of South America at low elevations.Geist, Valerius. Deer of the world their evolution, behaviour, and ecology'. Mechanicsburg, Pa: Stackpole Books, 1998 ...
,
bare-faced curassow The bare-faced curassow (''Crax fasciolata'') is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, curassows, etc. It is found in Brazil, Paraguay, and eastern Bolivia, and extreme northeast Argentina, in the cerrado, pantanal, an ...
,
harpy eagle The harpy eagle (''Harpia harpyja'') is a neotropical species of eagle. It is also called the American harpy eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan eagle, which is sometimes known as the New Guinea harpy eagle or Papuan harpy eagle. It is the ...
and
black-and-white hawk-eagle The black-and-white hawk-eagle (''Spizaetus melanoleucus'', formerly ''Spizastur melanoleucus'') is a bird of prey species in the eagle and hawk family (Accipitridae). It is found throughout a large part of tropical America, from southern Mexic ...
can also be found here. Kaa Iya National Park is internationally famous for its big cat population, especially the jaguar. It is considered as one of the best places in the world for jaguar viewing opportunities. A camera trap study by WCS estimated that there are over 1000 jaguars living within the park which makes it one of the most important areas for the survival of these big cats. Tapirs, pumas, ocelots and more are seen frequently inside the park.


Local population

The pattern of human occupation in the area is made up of the
Guaraní Guarani, Guaraní or Guarany may refer to Ethnography * Guaraní people, an indigenous people from South America's interior (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia) * Guaraní language, or Paraguayan Guarani, an official language of Paraguay * ...
s and
Chiquitano The Chiquitano or Chiquitos are an indigenous people of Bolivia, with a small number also living in Brazil. The Chiquitano primarily live in the Chiquitania tropical savanna of Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia, with a small number also living in ...
s villages as well as farmers. Human presence is only in the outlying areas although it is moving inwards in respect to the use of the area's resources. There is a greater concentration of people towards the west (Isozo), Chiquitano settlements in the north and some scattered communities in other areas. In any case, it can be confirmed that the interior of the area is free of human occupation. The greatest concentration of people is found towards the west (Bañados de Izoso), in the area's power base, where there are more than twenty Guaraní communities, including Guarirenda, Rincón, Huirapendi, Guirayasa, Coropo, Cacharí, Aguraigua, Guirapendio, Isiporenda, and Yapiroa. The largest Chiquitana community is San Pablo, located in the north. There are groups of mostly Izoceños and Ayoreode origin, including uncontacted groups of Ayoreo nomads. The ruins of
San Ignacio de Zamucos San Ignacio de Zamucos or San Ignacio was a Jesuit mission in Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia that was founded in 1724 and abandoned in 1745. The inhabitants of the mission were the Zamucoan-speaking Ayoreo. Location The ruins of San Ignacio de Za ...
, a Jesuit mission that was active from 1724 to 1745, are located in the southeastern end of the Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park.


Administration

The development of the national park is being carried out under shared administration, under an agreement with the Upper and Lower Izozog Authority (Capitanía del Alto y Bajo Izozog), an indigenous Izoceño-Guaraní organisation, signed on 24 November 1995. The development committee is composed of representatives from the municipalities of Charagua, Pailón, San José de Chuiquitos, and the sub-mayoralty of Isoso, as well as the founding organisations of TURUBO, CABI, CICHIPA (Indigenous Office for Chiquitano Communities of Pailón), Santa Teresita (Ayorea Community), CIMCI, and representatives of the government, SERNAP and the Departmental Prefecture.


Relevant aspects

The park makes up the only area set aside to protect the extensive remaining areas of the South American Chaco, including most of the ecosystems belonging to the region. This park, despite its low prominence and the apparent monotony of its countryside, is of great interest due to the enormous richness of its wildlife for the development of eco- and adventure-tourism. The presence of representatives of the indigenous Izoceño, Chiquitano and Ayorea populations increases the importance of the area; among other cultural expressions, they produced very stylised craftwork. There are historic sites in the power base of the region, e.g. the Missions of San José de Chiquitos and Santa Cruz la Vieja. The population mostly consists of the Izoceño, Chiquitano and Ayoreode ethnicities, including a group of Ayoreode nomads. There are other populations recently migrated from other regions of Santa Cruz (ranch owners, farm workers, rural manual workers) who mostly work in cattle ranching.


Potential

Given its double categorisation as National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area, the Area presents enormous possibilities for developing wildlife management programs of regional applicability. The region undoubtedly constitutes an important natural reservoir of genetic diversity, both animal and human (indigenous Guaraní cultures). Furthermore, due to its natural and cultural value, tourist operations could be developed in the Area. The biological diversity of the Protected Area is due to variability in climate and soil conditions, as well as the lack of availability of water, which influence the unusual flora and fauna of the region.


Threats

The most serious threats to the park come principally from hydrocarbon-related activities; seismic prospecting in the Bañados, drilling for petroleum in Ustarez and the Bolivia-Brazil gas pipelines, followed by the expansion of agricultural and cattle-ranching landuse; illegal commercial hunting and the diversion of the river Parapeto for agricultural purposes.


Power base

The area's most important settlements are Camiri, Charagua, Boyuibe and Cabezas in Cordillera Province, and San José in Chiquitos Province.


Accessibility

Access to the area is difficult. In the humid season, the Area's roads are unusable. Except for the Santa Cruz-Bajo Izoso-Camiri road which borders the Area and partially enters the communities of Bajo Izoso, there are no other stable roads. In many zones entrance is via cattle paths. From San José de Chiquitos there is a bridlepath which joins Fortín Ravelo and Suárez Arana, forming the most stable path in the extreme east of the Area. Access to this park is best though a licensed tour operator in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.


References


External links


www.fundesnap.org / Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area
(Spanish)

(Spanish) {{DEFAULTSORT:Kaa-Iya Del Gran Chaco National Park And Integrated Management Natural Area National parks of Bolivia Gran Chaco Geography of Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia) Indigenous topics of the Gran Chaco Protected areas established in 1995 Tourist attractions in Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia)