Andean condor (Vultur gryphus). Photo Credit: PROMETA

Animals Bolivia31. January 2025

Hidden Canyon Becomes a Safe Haven for These Big Birds

The municipality of Yunchará in Tarija, Bolivia, has established the Peña Rajada municipal protected area, safeguarding more than 20,000 hectares of high-altitude ecosystems, a critical sanctuary for the endangered Andean condor.

“Peña Rajada’s creation contributes to a growing complex of protected areas in the Altiplano of Southern Bolivia, where it fills a gap in connectivity between the Sama National Reserve and the Pampa Tholar de las Vicuñas municipal protected area,” explains Andes Amazon Fund Program Officer Peter Oesterling. “By passing through this area, one can easily see how these protected areas complement each other, reinforcing protection for Andean flora and fauna across diverse topographic features as well as securing important ecosystem services for nearby communities in an expansive landscape.”

The newly established municipal protected area spans 22,354 hectares in the Bolivian Altiplano. The Peña Rajada canyons are a calm habitat – without human alteration – and are crucial for the survival and reproduction of Andean condors. They’re also home to Andean foxes, pumas, vicuña, various plant species, and intriguing archaeological and paleontological sites. The non-governmental organization PROMETA was instrumental in protecting Andean condors. It is now establishing two protected areas in Tupiza and Cotagaita, both in Bolivia’s Department of Potosí, to safeguard the Guanaco, a camelid at risk of extinction.

Source:
Andes Amazon Fund

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