Tabaconas Namballe National Sanctuary 1.47

Tabaconas-Namballe National Sanctuary is a national sanctuary in Peru established in 1988, and protects the southernmost part of the páramo ecosystem. It is located in San Ignacio Province, Cajamarca and spans an area of 32124.87ha.HistoryIn the 1940s, national and foreign investors began studies for the use of forests in the provinces of Jaén and San Ignacio. This prompted the Peruvian government to reserve an area that would serve as a nature sanctuary, by creating the Oso Perdido National Forest.In 1977, a lumber company, El Chaupe, was granted two exploitation contracts by the government in the forests located in the districts of Chirinos, Tabaconas and Namballe, all in the province of San Ignacio. One of the contracts was terminated by the Ministry of Agriculture, declaring an extension of 49 260 hectares as an area for research purposes.In 1982, the Department of Forest Management of La Molina National University (UNALM) proposed the establishment of the Namballe National Sanctuary. However, it was only in 1987 that some government institutions along with La Molina University carried out the studies for the establishment of a spectacled bear sanctuary in the area.Tabaconas Namballe National Sanctuary was established on May 20, 1988 by Supreme Decree No. 051-88AG with an area of 29,500 ha.GeographyTabaconas Namballe National Sanctuary is located in the Cordillera de Tabaconas, which is part of the Eastern Andes. The area is mountainous, with rocky outcrops and steep slopes, but with some plain or undulate terrain on the highest parts.