Los Katíos National Park in Colombia was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2015 after increased patrolling by park authorities regained control from illegal activities caused by armed conflict; the park comprises 72,000 hectares of forests, wetlands, and low hills containing exceptional biodiversity including many threatened and endemic species and is important for local communities' livelihoods from fish and shellfish resources.

1. Los Katíos National Park,
Colombia
Photo gallery

2. Los Katíos National Park in Colombia has come off the List of World
Heritage in Danger on 30 June 2015, following IUCN’s advice.

3. Los Katíos National Park was inscribed in 1994 as the
first natural World Heritage site in Colombia.

4. It was placed on the ‘danger list’ in 2009 due to illegal activities,
which proliferated in a climate of armed conflict in the area.

5. The park authority has since regained control of the site through
concrete action on the ground, such as intensified patrolling.

6. View of Los Katíos National Park from the Atrato River. To this day,
access to the World Heritage site continues to be made by boat.

7. Extending over 72,000 ha in north-western Colombia, the park
comprises forests, low hills and wetlands.

8. An exceptional biodiversity is found in the park, which is home to
many threatened animal species, as well as many endemic plants.

9. ©IUCN/TilmanJaeger
The site is part of a biodiversity ‘hotspot’ identified as irreplaceable
for species survival in a recent IUCN study.

10. ©IUCN/TilmanJaeger
While jaguars are rarely seen, their tracks and marks are a
common sight on the river banks and trails of Los Katíos.

11. ©IUCN/TilmanJaeger
“Arracachales” are important habitats in the park. Comparable to
mangroves, they nurse fish and crustaceans.

12. The livelihoods of some local communities living on the margins of
the park depend heavily on its fish and shellfish resources.
©IUCN/TilmanJaeger

13. ©IUCN/TilmanJaeger
www.iucn.org/worldheritage