• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2008 baseline)
The Boven Coesewijne Natuur Reservaat is important for its brown- sand and white-sand savannas. On both sides of the Coesewijne river are temperarily flooded forests, more downstream are large grass swamps. It is also known for the West-indian manatees and the giant river-otters. There is a high biodiversity caused by the many different ecosystems. The local indigenous people who live in the nearby village, Bigi Poika have the right to hunt and fish in the nature reserve. Also people from Paramaribo are fishing there with a permit. There is also illegal hunting and fishing. The Nature Conservation Division has a post near the upper Coesewijne river on the brown sand savanna and there is a tourist center called Pakuli more downstream.

Key biodiversity
The total number of species is 342. The number of biome restricted species is 22. Hence it is an IBA on the A3 criterion. Relatively little research on birds has been done.

Non-bird biodiversity: The Boven Coesewijne area aside from the birds has 40 mammal species, 39 reptile species, 20 amphibian species and 50 fish species. Species of international importance are manatees, giant otters and caimans.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Boven Coesewijne Nature Reserve (BCNR) (Suriname). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/boven-coesewijne-nature-reserve-(bcnr)-iba-suriname on 22/11/2024.