Madidi National Park is a protected area located in the upper Amazon River basin in Bolivia. It was created in 1995 and covers a land area of 18,958 km² (about 11,779 square miles). Along with nearby protected areas, including Manuripi-Heath, Apolobamba, and the Manu Biosphere Reserve in Peru, Madidi is part of one of the largest protected regions in the world.
The park spans from the Andes Mountains to the rainforests near the Tuichi River. In 2018, the Wildlife Conservation Society recognized Madidi as the most biologically diverse national park globally. It includes parts of the Bolivian Yungas and Bolivian montane dry forests, which are specific types of natural regions.
Madidi National Park can be reached by crossing the Beni River from Rurrenabaque via a passenger ferry. Many local people who live in the area speak the Quechua language, which is used by indigenous communities. These groups include the Tacana and Ese Ejja, the Tsimané and Mosetén, and the Toromona, who choose to remain isolated.
Ecolodges are located within and around Madidi National Park. One of the oldest and most well-known is Chalalan Ecolodge, which is situated on the Tuichi River in Chalalán. This ecolodge is a community-based business that provides economic benefits to local indigenous communities.
Location
Madidi National Park (NP) and Integrated Management Natural Area (IMNA) is located in the northwest part of the Department of La Paz, in the provinces of Franz Tamayo, Iturralde, and Abel Bautista Saavedra. The involved municipalities include Apolo, San Buenaventura, Ixiamas, Curva, and Pelechuco.
The park is bordered to the west by the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park 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.
Madidi NP and IMNA are among the largest protected areas in Bolivia. According to the Supreme Decree, they cover a total land area of 18,957.5 km² (7,319.5 sq mi), with 12,715 km² (4,909 sq mi) designated as National Park and 6,242.5 km² (2,410.2 sq mi) designated as Integrated Management Natural Area.
The park’s boundaries span 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 180 to 5,760 metres (590 to 18,900 feet) above sea level and includes a variety of ecosystems.
Weather
The climate changes a lot depending on height: it is cold in high mountain areas, milder at middle heights, and tropical in low areas in the north. Winds mostly come from the north, and cold air from the south does not change the temperature much in the Madidi region. The dry season happens when it is winter in the southern hemisphere. The average yearly temperature is 26°C, but it changes a lot based on height. Each year, about 716 mm of rain falls. The rainy season is from October to March, and the dry season is from May to September.
Flora
Madidi National Park is home to more than 8,000 recorded species of plants with veins, and many more may be found there. A research project by the Missouri Botanical Garden called the Madidi Project identified at least 132 new plant species in the park by 2010.
Wildlife
Dr. Robert Wallace, a wildlife biologist, discovered a new species of titi monkey in Madidi. This monkey is found only in that area. Scientists, the Bolivian National Protected Area Service (SERNAP), and the Foundation for the Development of the Protected Areas (FUNDESNAP) agreed to auction the right to name the species. The online casino GoldenPalace.com won the auction and paid US$650,000 to a trust fund. This fund now provides money to pay for fourteen park guards each year. The species was named Plecturocebus aureipalatii, with the specific epithet meaning "of the Golden Palace."
The park is also home to over 1,254 bird species, which represents 14% of the world's approximately 9,000 bird species. Large animals living in the park include jaguars, spectacled bears, maned wolves, vicuñas, and giant otters. The park has a wide variety of life in both its land and water areas.
- Mammals: 272 species
- Birds: 1,254 species
- Fish: 496 species
- Amphibians: 213 species
- Reptiles: 204 species
- Arthropods: over 120,000 species
(Undescribed species are not included.)
Ecotourism
Madidi National Park is recognized for its work in responsible tourism and community-based ecotourism. Important projects include the Chalalan Ecolodge, 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 located inside the park. Recently, new local projects have opened, such as the Berraco del Madidi Amazon adventure tour, Madidi Jungle Ecolodge, Sadiri Ecolodge, and Ecolodge Madidi Heart.
Chalalan Ecolodge is a community ecotourism project owned by the indigenous village of San José de Uchupiamonas. The village receives income from the lodge’s operations, which helps support health and education programs. Established in 1999, Chalalan offers tours to Madidi National Park. The package includes transportation from Rurrenabaque to the lodge, a tour of the Beni and Tuichi rivers, cabin stays in rooms designed in the Tacana style with private bathrooms, meals that mix international and Amazonian flavors, and guidance from indigenous community members who speak Quechua and Spanish and are trained. The lodge uses solar panels for energy and has systems to manage trash and wastewater to reduce harm to the environment. It has nine cabins near Lake Chalalan, which inspired the lodge’s name. The lodge has 30 kilometers of trails for learning about the environment, canoes for exploring the lagoon, a large gazebo, and a dining room with a social area. Visitors usually stay for four days and three nights.
Sadiri Lodge was created to protect the area from harmful activities like deforestation. It is a non-profit community project that supports local development. The lodge is managed by members of the San José de Uchupiamonas Indigenous People, located in the center of Madidi National Park. Its main goal is to protect 34,000 hectares of untouched forest, natural water sources, and wildlife. The area includes over 430 bird species and many types of monkeys, reptiles, insects, amphibians, and plants like bromeliads and orchids. Local guides from the Uchupiamonas community help visitors identify these species using traditional knowledge, animal calls, and cultural stories.
The Berraco del Madidi Amazon Adventure Tour is a private project led by José de Uchupiamonas, a member of the Quechua-Tacana community. The tour was started in 2007 and opened in 2010. It is run entirely by the community to create jobs and benefits for its members. The ecocamp is located in the community’s territory, covering 210,000 hectares, and is reached by a 6-hour boat ride. It is the most remote camp in Madidi National Park and has cabins built in the traditional Quechua-Tacana style using local materials.
Madidi Jungle Ecolodge has been open to visitors since mid-2011. It is a local project run by indigenous families from the TCO San José de Uchupiamonas. The lodge is inside Madidi National Park and covers 210 hectares of forest. It is reached by a 3.5-hour motorboat ride up the Beni and Tuichi rivers and can host up to 14 visitors in traditional Amazonian-style cabins.
Conservation threats
One threat to Madidi National Park is the proposed Bala Dam Project on the Beni River in the Bala Gorge, where the river passes through the Bala Mountain Range. The dam project was first considered in 1998 but was later stopped. It was discussed again in 2007. If built, the dam would flood about 2,000 km² (770 sq mi), including a large part of Madidi. This could cause serious problems. Studies show that if the dam breaks, the area could be flooded for several days.
Another threat is the proposed Apolo–Ixiamas road. People in the Altiplano region and some leaders want to use the park for logging and farming. However, studies by the Conservation Strategy Fund say this project is not a good choice for the area. It would not be cost-effective and would cause a lot of tree cutting in the protected region.
Environmental damage from the road could harm efforts to protect the area and tourism, which help the local economy. Other projects, like improving the road to La Paz or investing in health and schools, could help people live better while protecting the environment.