Darién - Kuna Yula

Children at ANCON camp in the Darien National Park
© Susan Suhanovsky

Stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans, this remote conservation area in the "Darien Gap" encompasses rich ecological and cultural diversity and is the largest conservation area in Panama.

The region includes Pacific lowland forest, Caribbean lowland forest, dry forest, cloud forest, and flooded tropical forest.

There is one protected area within this area, the Darién National Park which covers 1 million acres, making it the largest protected area in the country. The Darién park holds many cuipo trees, the favorite trees for harpy eagle's nests. Two Indigenous Reserves, the Kuna Yala and the Embera-Wounan, are also part of this action area. The park is recognized as both a World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve.

Location
Located within the province of the Darien and the San Blas Indigenous Reserve, this action area borders Colombia on the east.

Animals
The Darien has a large concentration of wildlife including 169 species of mammals, 99 reptile species, 78 species of amphibians and 50 fish species. Due to the area's large size and its inaccessibility, it maintains viable populations of numerous rare and endangered species such as the:

Tapir
Oncilla
Capybara
White-lipped peccary
Bush dog
Giant anteater

More than 533 species of birds are found in the Darien, including the harpy eagle, great curassow and four species of macaws: blue and yellow, great green, chestnut-fronted, and the red and green. The forests of the Darien are also home to the saffron headed parrot and the rare viridian dacnis, as well as such endemic species as the rufous-cheeked hummingbird, varied solitaire and Pirre warbler.

Plants
The predominant tree species in the lowland forest of the Darien is the cuipo. This impressive tree is a true giant, extending approximately 160 feet from the ground into the forest canopy. The Darien National Park countains 2,490 species of identified plants.

Why the Conservancy Works Here
There are several critical threats to the area. Some of the most serious include, the migration of Panamanian colonists to the area. This has resulted in the expansion of the agricultural frontier, increased logging, gold mining, and the potential completion of the Pan-American Highway. Another challenge is the increase of indigenous people and Colombian refugees to the region and the advancement of Colombian guerillas.

What the Conservancy Is Doing
The Conservancy is building alliances with projects that are being implemented in the region such as the Sustainable Development of the Darien Program (IDB) and the Conservation of Biodiversity in the Darien (UNDP).

The Conservancy is:

Carrying out a conservation plan based on existing rapid ecological assessments and other available information.
Supporting the preparation and implementation of the management plan of the Darien National Park.
Providing technical assistance to define and legally establish a protected area in Punta Garachine to conserve its remaining dry forests.
Building relationships with the indigenous and local authorities and assist them in implementing conservation activities.
Providing $1.3 Million towards an $11 Million debt-for-nature swap. The money from the swap will go towards financing conservation activities within the park as well as providing long term financial sustainability to the park over 12 years.
Working here as part of a Parks in Peril project.