Madidi National Park
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Madidi () is a national park in the upper
Amazon river basin The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivi ...
in
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
. It was established in 1995 with a total land area of 18,958 km2 (approximately 11,779 sq mi). Together with the nearby (though not all contiguous) protected areas Manuripi-Heath and Apolobamba and the Manu Biosphere Reserve (Peru), Madidi is part of one of the largest protected areas in the world. Ranging from the
Andes Mountains The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long and wide (widest between 18°S ...
to the rainforests of the
Tuichi River The Tuichi River (in Spanish Río Tuichi) is a river in the Madidi National Park in the north of Bolivia. The Tuichi flows through the rainforest and joins the Beni River upstream from the town of Rurrenabaque Rurrenabaque is a small town in the ...
, Madidi was recognized in 2018 by the
Wildlife Conservation Society The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a global 501(c)(3) organization, 501(c)(3) non-governmental organization, headquartered at the Bronx Zoo in New York City, with a mission to save "wildlife and wild places across the globe". Founded in ...
as the world's most
biologically diverse Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
national park. Madidi extends to protect parts of the
Bolivian Yungas The Bolivian Yungas is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Yungas of central Bolivia. Setting The ecoregion occurs in elevations ranging from on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Bolivia, extending into a small ...
and
Bolivian montane dry forests The Bolivian montane dry forests (NT0206) is an ecoregion in Bolivia on the eastern side of the Andes. It is a transitional habitat between the puna grasslands higher up to the west and the Chaco scrub to the east. The habitat is under severe stres ...
ecoregions An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecology, ecological and Geography, geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of la ...
. Madidi National Park is accessible from San Buenaventura by crossing the
Beni River The Beni River () is a river in the north of Bolivia. It rises north of La Paz La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Aymara language, Aymara: Chuqi Yapu ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. Wit ...
via passenger ferry from
Rurrenabaque Rurrenabaque is a small town in the north of Bolivia, on the Beni River. It is the capital of Rurrenabaque Municipality. In recent years, it has become popular with international tourism as it is an easy gateway for visits to Madidi National Par ...
. The local inhabitants many of whom migrated from the
Andean The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long and wide (widest between 18°S ...
highlands speak the
Quechua language Quechua (, ), also called (, 'people's language') in Southern Quechua, is an Indigenous languages of the Americas, indigenous language family that originated in central Peru and thereafter spread to other countries of the Andes. Derived from ...
. The park is home to indigenous groups including the Tacanan-speaking Tacana and Ese Ejja, the closely related
Tsimané The Tsimané, also known as the Tsimane' or Chimane, are an indigenous people of lowland Bolivia, living chiefly in the Beni Department municipalities of San Borja, San Ignacio de Moxos, Rurrenabaque, and Santa Ana del Yacuma. The Tsimané ar ...
and Mosetén, and the voluntarily isolated Toromona. Ecolodges are found in and around the Madidi National Park, the oldest and most well known being Chalalan Ecolodge, situated in Chalalán on the
Tuichi River The Tuichi River (in Spanish Río Tuichi) is a river in the Madidi National Park in the north of Bolivia. The Tuichi flows through the rainforest and joins the Beni River upstream from the town of Rurrenabaque Rurrenabaque is a small town in the ...
, a community-based enterprise that generates economic benefits for indigenous communities.


Location

The National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area Madidi is located in the northwest region of the Department of
La Paz La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Aymara language, Aymara: Chuqi Yapu ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With 755,732 residents as of 2024, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities by populati ...
, in the provinces Franz Tamayo, Iturralde and Abel Bautista Saavedra. The involved municipalities are Apolo, San Buenaventura, Ixiamas, Curva, and Pelechuco. The park is bordered to the west by the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve and
Bahuaja-Sonene National Park Bahuaja-Sonene National Park () is a protected area located in the regions of Puno and Madre de Dios, in Peru. Geography The park comprises river terraces, hills and mountains, with elevations ranging from 500 to 2450 m. The main rivers in the a ...
in Peru, to the east by the TCO ('' Tierra Comunitaria de Origen,'' 'indigenous community land') Tacana I, to the north by TCO Tacana II, and to the south by the Apolobamba Integrated Management Natural Area, TCO Lecos Apolo, TCO Lecos Larecaja and the
Pilón Lajas Biosphere Reserve and Communal Lands Pilón Lajas Biosphere Reserve and Communal Lands (''Reserva de Biosfera y Tierra Comunitaria de Origen Pilón Lajas'') is a protected area in Bolivia located in the departments of La Paz Department (Bolivia), La Paz (Sud Yungas Province, Sud Yung ...
. The PN and IMNA Madidi constitute one of the largest protected areas in Bolivia. According to the Supreme Decree, they have a total land area of of which come under the heading of National Park and come under the heading of Integrated Management Natural Area. The park boundaries are between 12°30' and 14°44' southern latitude and between 67°30' and 69°51' western longitude. The area under conservation ranges in elevation from above sea level and includes a variety of ecosystems.


Weather

The climate varies significantly with elevation: it is cold in the alpine region, moderate at mid-level elevations, and tropical in the northern lowlands. Winds predominantly blow from the north, while cold fronts from the south have little impact on the temperature of the Madidi region. The dry season aligns with the southern hemisphere's winter. The average annual temperature is 26°C, though it varies widely depending on altitude
Isotemas
Annual precipitation averages around 716 mm. The wet season spans from October to March, while the dry season lasts from May to September.


Flora

Madidi National Park hosts more than 8,000 documented species of
vascular plants Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes (, ) or collectively tracheophyta (; ), are plants that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They also have a specialized non-lignified tissue ( ...
, with a high likelihood of many more being discovered. The Madidi Project of the
Missouri Botanical Garden The Missouri Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located at 4344 Shaw Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri. It is also known informally as Shaw's Garden for founder and philanthropy, philanthropist Henry Shaw (philanthropist), Henry Shaw. I ...
had identified at least 132 new plant species in Madidi as of 2010.


Wildlife

Dr. Robert Wallace, a wildlife biologist, is credited for discovering a previously unidentified
titi monkey The titis, or titi monkeys, are New World monkeys of the subfamily Callicebinae, which contains three extant genera: ''Cheracebus'', ''Callicebus'', and ''Plecturocebus.'' This subfamily also contains the extinct genera '' Miocallicebus, Homun ...
, a previously unknown titi monkey species, in Madidi. This monkey is endemic to the area. The right to name the new species was auctioned through an agreement between the scientists, the Bolivian National Protected Area Service (SERNAP), and the Foundation for the Development of the Protected Areas (FUNDESNAP). The auction was won by online casino GoldenPalace.com, paying US$650,000 into a trust fund that now generates enough income to pay for fourteen park guards annually. The species was named '' Plecturocebus aureipalatii'' with the
specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...
meaning "of the Golden Palace.” The park is also notable for being home to over 1,254 bird species, representing 14% of the world’s approximately 9,000 bird species. In addition to the
biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
found on its land, there is also a rich and varied life found here in the water. *
Mammals A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle e ...
: 272 species *
Birds Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...
: 1,254 species *
Fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...
: 496 species *
Amphibians Amphibians are ectothermic, anamniote, anamniotic, tetrapod, four-limbed vertebrate animals that constitute the class (biology), class Amphibia. In its broadest sense, it is a paraphyletic group encompassing all Tetrapod, tetrapods, but excl ...
: 213 species *
Reptiles Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...
: 204 species *
Arthropods Arthropods ( ) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an arthropod exoskeleton, exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often Mineralization (biology), mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (Metam ...
: Madidi has over 120,000 different species of arthropods. (undescribed species not included)


Ecotourism

Madidi National Park is known for its efforts in responsible tourism and community ecotourism. Notable ventures include the Chalalan Ecolodge, which is owned by the indigenous people of San José de Uchupiamonas, and the San Miguel del Bala Ecolodge, owned by the San Miguel Tacana community. These lodges are situated within Madidi National Park. Additionally, there have been recent openings of local initiatives such as the Berraco del Madidi Amazon adventure tour, Madidi Jungle Ecolodge, Sadiri Ecolodge, and Ecolodge Madidi Heart. Chalalan Ecolodge is a community ecotourism venture owned by the indigenous village of San José de Uchupiamonas, which receives profits from the hostel's operations and contributes to areas such as health and education. Established in 1999, Chalalan offers tours to Madidi National Park. The tourism package includes transportation from Rurrenabaque to the hostel, a tour of the Beni and Tuichi rivers, cabin accommodation in Tacana-style rooms with private bathrooms, international fusion cuisine (English Amazon), and guidance from indigenous community members who speak Quechua and Spanish and are trained and certified. Chalalan operates with a system of solar panels for clean energy and has implemented solid waste management and wastewater treatment systems to minimize environmental impact. The hostel consists of nine cabins located near Lake Chalalan, which inspired its name. Chalalan features 30 kilometers of environmental interpretation trails, paddle canoes for exploring the lagoon, a large gazebo, and a dining room with a social area. The average stay is four days and three nights.


Sadiri Lodge

Sadiri Lodge was established as an alternative approach to protect against extractive and deforestation activities that threaten the rich and diverse natural area and water reservoir. It operates as a responsible, non-profit community tourism initiative that also promotes local community development. Currently, Sadiri Lodge is managed and administered by members of the San José De Uchupiamonas Indigenous People, located in the heart of the Madidi, the most mega-diverse protected area in the world. The primary goal of Sadiri Lodge is to preserve the 34,000 hectares of pristine forest, natural water reservoirs, and diverse wildlife of the Bolivian jungle. The mission of Sadiri Lodge is to protect the forest, which serves as a refuge for a diverse range of species. The area under Sadiri's protection boasts over 430 species of birds, indicating its ecological importance and supporting a variety of reptiles, insects, amphibians, and vibrant flora like bromeliads and orchids. Situated at 900 meters above sea level, the forest enjoys a pleasant climate and is home to various monkey species whose morning calls awaken the forest, adding to the lively atmosphere. The jungle comes alive with the melodious sounds of birds, complemented by the spectacle of hummingbirds flitting about, as well as colorful insects and butterflies. Expert local Uchupiamonas guides skillfully identify these species using their ancestral forest knowledge, animal calling techniques, keen senses, and cultural stories, providing visitors to Sadiri Lodge with an unforgettable and enriching experience. Berraco Madidi Amazon Adventure Tour is a private initiative led by a member of the indigenous Quechua-Tacana community José de Uchupiamonas, located in the Madidi National Park and Natural Area of Integrated Management. The idea was conceived in 2007 and realized in 2010, driven by enthusiasm and the extensive guiding experience accumulated over many years. The tour is operated entirely by the community to create jobs and benefits for its members. The Ecocamp is situated within the community's territory, spanning 210 thousand hectares, and is accessible by a 6-hour boat ride with an outboard motor. It is the most remote camp in Madidi National Park and features cabins built in the traditional Quechua-Takana style using local natural resources. Madidi Jungle Ecolodge, open to visitors since mid-2011, is a 100% local initiative operated by indigenous families of the TCO San José de Uchupiamonas. The lodge is situated within the Madidi National Park in the Amazon region of Bolivia, covering 210 hectares of forest. Accessible by a 3.5-hour motorboat ride upstream along the Beni and Tuichi rivers, the Ecolodge offers accommodation for up to 14 visitors in traditional Amazonian-style cabins. The enterprises of Responsible Tourism and Ecotourism established within Madidi National Park offer comfortable boats for transportation, unique accommodation, the best local guides and interpreters, and exquisite homemade food prepared with local products. Rurrenabaque is now embracing this unforgettable adventure in ecotourism by inviting visitors to explore the Bolivian Amazon.


The Bala Dam Project

One of the threats against the Madidi NP has been the proposed Bala Dam Project at the
Beni River The Beni River () is a river in the north of Bolivia. It rises north of La Paz La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Aymara language, Aymara: Chuqi Yapu ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. Wit ...
in the Bala Gorge, where the Beni River breaks through the Bala Mountain Range. The proposed
hydroelectric dam Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...
project has a long history, and the project was especially relevant in 1998. The project was abandoned some years later, but resurfaced again in 2007. The
dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...
would flood about , including a large part of the Madidi NP, with potentially catastrophic consequences. Simulations suggest that a dam failure or break would flood the whole area for several days.


The Apolo-Ixiamas road project

Another of the main threats against Madidi is the proposed construction of the Apolo-Ixiamas road. This is an old demand from local politicians and communities from the Altiplano, who want to colonize the park for timber and agriculture exploitation. However, independent studies from the NGO Conservation Strategy Fund have shown that this project is not a good development alternative for the region. Fleck, L. C., Amend, M., & Painter, L. (2006). ''Beneficios económicos regionales generados por la conservación: el caso del Madidi'' (No. CIDAB-S934, B6-C6t-5). Conservación Estratégica CSF..Fleck, L. C., Painter, L., Reid, J., & Amend, M. (2006). A road through Madidi: an environmental-economic analysis. ''Conservation strategy fund. Serie Técnica'', ''6'', 1-95. The project is economically unfeasible and would induce significant deforestation within the protected area. Environmental losses caused by the road project could threaten current and future conservation and tourism activities in this protected area, which generate significant economic benefits to the region. Alternative investments such as improving the road that connects Apolo to La Paz Peñarrieta Venegas, L., & Fleck, L. C. (2007). ''Beneficios y costos del mejoramiento de la carretera Charazani-Apolo'' (No. CIDAB-S934. B6-C6t-14). Conservación Estratégica CSF.. and directing the road investment towards social investments such as health and education have greater prospects of improving local quality of life while maintaining the important environmental services provided by Madidi.


See also

* Madidi River * Chalalan


References


External links

* Servicio Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, SERNAP: The Madidi National Park - El Parque Nacional Madidi
Official website

Regional economic benefits from conservation: the case of Madidi

A road through Madidi: an environmental-economic analysis

El efecto Chalalán: Un ejercicio de valoración económica para una empresa comunitaria

Beneficios y costos del mejoramiento de la carretera Charazani - Apolo

Madidi.de, in three languages, "Projekt Regenzeit e.V."
(Cf.
Urwaldprojekte.de

How Does WCS Protect Madidi?
(Wildlife Conservation Society).
Madidi National Park and IMNA - Park Profile, ParksWatch.org


Photo gallery of landscape, flora and fauna of Madidi National Park
Bolivian Conservationist Calls for Preservation of Madidi Region, One of the Most Biodiverse Areas of World
video by ''
Democracy Now! ''Democracy Now!'' is an hour-long TV, radio, and Internet news program based in Manhattan and hosted by journalists Amy Goodman (who also acts as the show's executive producer), Juan González, and Nermeen Shaikh. The show, which airs live ...
''


See also

* Panthera onca boliviensis {{authority control National parks of Bolivia Tourist attractions in La Paz Department (Bolivia) Geography of La Paz Department (Bolivia) Protected areas established in 1995