Tuparro River Report card

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Tuparro River Report card

2016 Center Adm. Tuparro Nat. Park ITO RR

A TUP

RO

R PA TU

R

E RIV

Maypure Rapids

ER RIV

R

W a & ter de s m up an pl d y

tem sys es Ecoervic s

quency

Terres connec trial tivity

Risk s wa to qua ter lity

W

N HEAL

EC S & L OSYSTE M S A N D SC APE

N lan atur d c al ov er

Water ex quality ind

ATE

T

H

TU

P CU E

T/ EN CE AN

+

Fire fre

r ve s Ri phin l do

B

SI

B

A

TY

r Rive ins h p dol

RRO RI V PA

ER

Biodiversity Knowledge Gap Index

SI

The Tuparro River Basin received the third highest score of all the sub-basins within the Colombian portion of Orinoco River Basin, with an overall B+ grade (77%). Of the eight indicators assessed, all were excellent (>80%) or good (60-80%) except for human nutrition (53%) which despite its moderate score was the best score for human nutrition within the Orinoco River Basin. A score of 100% was achieved for natural land cover. No IDEAM National Network Monitoring Program water quality sites are currently within the Tuparro River, so water quality information was not available for this sub-basin. No river dolphin data was available for this version of the report card, but new information on river dolphin abundance will become available for future report cards.

MA N GOV AGE ER M N

E& PL E O TUR L

BIO DIVER

Tuparro River has good health but more information is needed

an m ion Hu trit nu

The Tuparro River originates in the Altillanura and stretches 693 km before flowing into the Orinoco River, near the Tomo River. The basin is dominated by seasonal savannas, but also displays a variety of other ecosystems such as flooded gallery forests and flooded savannas. Much of the Tuparro basin is protected within Tuparro National Park, but threats from natural resource exploitation are growing.

M in ec sen ing os sit in ys ive te m s

Characteristics of the Tuparro River Basin

What do the scores mean?

a b

80–100% 60–80%

c d

40–60% 20–40%

f

0–20% no data

Tuparro National Park provides refuge for unique systems of the Orinoco

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W

F

©H ei n zS tal

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W

illo

One of the main attractions in the park are the Maypure rapids, which in 1800 were described by Alexander Von Humboldt as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. The Tuparro National Park is also of great importance to research as it protects representative ecosystems in the Orinoco flatlands and consequently is being studied by the National Parks System in order to provide solutions for how to increase biodiversity similar ecosystems in departments outside of the park in Vichada, Arauca, and Meta.

Five years ago, various indigenous communities in the Tuparro National Park began monitoring fish populations for the first time. There are currently 13 communities that participate in this monitoring project and they continue to collate information on biodiversity © Ar in the park. In 2013, due to the iel success of the monitoring program, UNESCO supported a pilot project to broaden indigenous community participation in the program. By 2020, it seeks to involve 11 more communities in the characterization and protection of biodiversity. uj Tr

The Vichada Department has protected one of the jewels of Colombia for the past 46 years: The Tuparro National Park. This park is the only national protected area in the country where there are savanna ecosystems. The park covers 548,000 ha of green savannas and fast flowing rivers covered with rapids, and is an important provider of ecosystem services such as sourcing flows to the Tomo, Tuparro, and Tuparrito Rivers, providing fish for consumption, and many cultural services such as scenic beauty and ancestral painted drawings. These paintings represent the legacy and history of the first inhabitants of this region. The indigenous peoples in this park are the Sikuani-Guahíbo, Cuiba, Curripacos, Puinaves, and Cachicamo ethnic groups.

Communities come together to monitor species

Fish monitoring in Tuparro National Park.

A need to know more The extensive biological diversity found in the basin demands significant investments in biodiversity assessments and monitoring to supplement important yet fragmented biodiversity records. Additionally, agricultural and livestock certification information is currently inconsistent throughout the region and more information is needed on the topics of fisheries, river-related cultural values, and the state of water resources in protected areas in order to include related indicators in subsequent report cards.

VALUES B

FUTURE INDICATORS

IODIVERSITY

Q

WATER L I TY INDE UA

X

PEOPLE & CUL TURE

S N

WATER

Maypure rapids in Tuparro National Park.

FL O R A CHNESS

RI

ULTUR R IC A AG T I F ICAT IO L R

CE

N AG E M E N T / MA ERNA NCE V GO

M M AL MA CHNESS RI

D I G EN O U IN AREAS S

ILLEGAL TAKE

RI

FISH CHNESS

R I V ER LPHINS DO