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© WWF / Eduardo RUIZ

Pando forests

Floating vegetation (Eichornia sp.) and trees (Abarema sp., Macrolobium acaciafolium) in the forest of Manuripi National Wildlife Reserve, Pando, Bolivia.
Manuripi National Amazon Wildlife Reserve
Bolivia has certified more than two million hectares of its tropical forests. Rainforest, Manuripi National Wildlife Reserve, Pando, Bolivia.
© WWF / Eduardo Ruiz

The Manuripi National Amazon Wildlife Reserve, located in the south-eastern part of the Department of Pando (Bolivia), is the largest protected area in terms of Amazon forest extension and also represents the best example of biodiversity of this ecosystem in Bolivia.

The Reserve was created to conserve humid tropical Amazon forest. Although the decree creating the Reserve dates back to December 1973, it wasn’t until 1999 that it was placed under the direct administration of the National Service for Protected areas (referred to in Bolivia as Sernap).

The following has been recorded for the Reserve:

  • 112 species of fish (up until now, 2 of the species are new to science)
  • 538 species of plants (the majority of them first recordings for the Reserve)
  • 83 amphibians (32 are new recordings for the Reserve, 3 are new for the Department of Pando and 4 are new for Bolivia)
  • 77 species of reptiles (13 are new recordings for the Reserve)
  • 501 species of birds (31 are new recordings for the Reserve, 6 are new recordings for Pando and 1 new recording for Bolivia)
  • 150 species of mammals (20 species are new recordings for the Reserve and 8 are new recordings for the Department of Pando).

The high number of species per taxa and the ascending curve for species accumulation for fauna suggest that the area is relatively healthy and that the number of species will continue increasing as further studies are carried out in the future, which could lead this Reserve to be considered one of the most diverse in Bolivia.

WWF Bolivia’s support to Manuripi Protected Area
Within its Amazon Program, WWF Bolivia, in close coordination with Sernap and Moore Foundation (WWF US) funding, supports the following lines of action:

  • Protection infrastructure equipment and construction
  • Park guard training
  • Sustainable Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) management with local actors.