Biodiversity of Colombia

Colombia is one of seventeen megadiverse countries in the world.^[7] The country in northwestern South America contains 311 types of coastal and continental ecosystems.^[1] As of the beginning of 2021, a total of between 63,000 and 71,000 species are registered in the country,^[8][5] with 8803 endemic species, representing near the 14% of the total registered species.^[6] Colombia is the country with the most páramos in the world; more than 60% of the Andean ecosystem is found within Colombian territories.^[11] Boyacá is the department where 18.3% of the national total area is located.^[12] Since December 20, 2014, Colombia hosts 59 protected areas.^[13] The biodiversity is highest in the Andean natural region, followed by the Amazon natural region.^[14] Since 1998, the Humboldt Institute for Biological Resources in the country has been collecting samples of biodiversity. As of 2014, 16,469 samples, representing around 2530 species from 1289 genera, and 323 families of the Colombian biodiversity have been stored in their archives.^[15]

The biodiversity of Colombia is at risk, mainly because of habitat loss, urbanisation, deforestation and overfishing.^[16] According to a study of 2001, 260,000 hectares (640,000 acres) of forested area is lost every year.^[17] Around 1300 species are critically endangered, and 509 species are introduced in Colombia, 22 of which are classified as invasive species in Colombia.^[2] Various plans to address the environmental issues are proposed.^[18] The National System of Protected Areas (SINAP) is the administrator of protected areas.

To commemorate the biodiversity of Colombia, the coins of the Colombian peso introduced in 2012 feature a species each.^[19]

Colombia is divided into six natural regions.

Colombia hosts two biodiversity hotspots; the Tropical Andes and Tumbes–Chocó–Magdalena. The country is part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves with five biosphere reserves:^[26]

• Biodiversity of the Eastern Hills, Bogotá
• Conservation biology
• Biodiversity of Thomas van der Hammen Natural Reserve
• Biodiversity of Cape Town, New Caledonia, New Zealand
• Biodiversity of Borneo, environmental issues in Colombia
• Environmental personhood

• Arbeláez Cortés, Enrique; Torres, María Fernanda; López Álvarez, Diana; Palacio Mejía, Juan Diego; Mendoza, Ángela María; Medina, Claudia Alejandra (2015). "La biodiversidad congelada de Colombia: 16 años de la colección de tejidos del Instituto Humboldt" [Colombian frozen biodiversity - 16 years of the tissue collection of the Humboldt Institute]. Acta Biológica Colombiana, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. 20: 163–173.
• Nieto Escalante, Juan Antonio; Sepulveda Fajardo, Claudia Inés; Sandoval Sáenz, Luis Fernando; Siachoque Bernal, Ricardo Fabian; Fajardo Fajardo, Jair Olando; Martínez Díaz, William Alberto; Bustamante Méndez, Orlando; Oviedo Calderón, Diana Rocio (2010). Geografía de Colombia [Geography of Colombia] (in Spanish). Bogotá, Colombia: Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi. ISBN 978-958-8323-38-1.
• Rodríguez Becerra, Manuel (2001). "La biodiversidad en Colombia" (PDF). Manuel Rodríguez Becerra. pp. 1–32. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2017-01-30.^{[self-published source?]}
• "V Informe nacional de biodiversidad de Colombia - ante el convenio de diversidad biológica" (PDF). United Nations Development Program. 2014. pp. 1–156. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-04. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
• Woods, Sarah (2008). Colombia. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-84162-242-2. Retrieved 2017-01-30.

• Biodiversidad Colombia - Universidad de La Salle (in Spanish)
• Colombia: Bajo Caguán-Caquetá Rapid Inventory [PDF]
• Colombia: La Lindosa, Capricho, Cerritos Rapid Inventory [PDF]