Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
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.
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.
Timber extraction, gathering of Non-Timber Forest Products, hunting, Fishing, sand and laterite mining.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Poaching and illegal fishing. Illegal rallies in the Wane savanna. Illegal forestry.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Research has been done on savanna vegetation (Donselaar,1965), on the manatees (Dekker, 1971,1978) and on the archaeology (Bubberman,1973.)
This site is a Nature Reserve.
The Boven Coesewijne area is state property. The following land right have been granted in this area. There is a long term herditary lease granted to the local village Bigi Poika and the Foundation for experimental agriculture. Further more land is placed at disposal of several Government departments,land is leased for agriculture, animal husbandry and recreation and there are mining, timber and fishing concessions.
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.
