Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
Manchon-Guamuchal is the largest mangrove area on the Guatemalan Pacific coast, located near the border to Chiapas, Mexico.
Based on a continental population estimate (Wetlands International 2006) and local estimates (Eisermann 2006), it is assumed that Manchon-Guamuchal supports more than 1% of the population of American White Pelican (
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos). Although not of global importance, the site supports large numbers of resident and migrating waterbirds (Sigüenza 1995, 2007).
The site contains 6670 ha of mangrove, equaling 33% of the IBA. Other coastal wetland habitat (rivers and canals, swamps, lagoons, and beaches) cover 25%. About 18% of the site is used for agriculture (banana and oil palm plantations, pasture, corn fields) and 5% for salinas and shrimp farms (MAGA 2006).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The area lacks management. Hunting seems to be intensive; e.g. massive kills of White Ibis (
Eudocimus albus) have been observed (R. Sigüenza in Eisermann 2006). Mangrove deforestation and water pollution by agrochemicals were reported by López et al. (1993) and Schaeffer Novelli (2003).
Currently about 6% of the IBA is legally protected as private protected area (CONAP 2007). The site has been designated an important wetland under the Ramsar convention in 1995.
The Museum of Natural History Jorge Ibarra, hosted a workshop in Guatemala City in June 2006. This first assessment of IBAs in Guatemala was conducted by Sociedad Guatemalteca de Ornitología and BirdLife International in the Americas.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Manchón - Guamuchal (Guatemala). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/manchón--guamuchal-iba-guatemala on 22/12/2024.
