Refugio de Vida Silvestre Isla Santa Clara

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Refugio de Vida Silvestre Isla Santa Clara

  • Country: 
    Ecuador
  • Site number: 
    1142
  • Area: 
    46 ha
  • Designation date: 
    02-02-2002
  • Coordinates: 
    03°09'S 80°26'W
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Overview

Refugio de Vida Silvestre Isla Santa Clara. 02/02/02; El Oro; 46 ha; 03°10'S 080° 26'W. Protected Area of Natural Heritage. A small island with rocky shores in the Gulf of Guayaquil, forming a complex transitional marine/coastal system situated in an area of convergence of marine currents and the fresh water of the Gulf, an important area of mixed and transitional biogeographical characterics. The island is an undeveloped area of extraordinary importance for the conservation of waterbirds and constitutes a major refuge for the marine biodiversity of the continental coast of the country, for which reason it was inscribed as a Protected Area of Natural Heritage in 1999. Its outstanding feature is the large-scale presence of avifauna, 23,000 individuals of the species Fragatas or Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), and Blue-footed Booby Sula nebouxi. The site holds exceptional social and cultural value and is considered from archaeological artifacts to be an early refuge of the first inhabitants of the larger Isla Puná, and a point of reference for navigators since the prehistoric era. It provides a unique opportunity for scientific investigations of marine-terrestrial ecosystems. Artisanal and industrial fishing are supported in the area. The Fundación Natura and the Ministry of Environment have compiled the technical datasheets for the site designation with the support of the WWF Living Waters Programme. Ramsar site no. 1142. Most recent RIS information: 2002.

Administrative region: 
El Oro

  • National legal designation: 
    • Patrimonio Nacional de Areas Protegidas SNAP
    • Refugio de Vida Silvestre
  • Last publication date: 
    02-02-2002

Downloads

Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)