The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) celebrates the designation of the Bahía Jiquilisco Complex, located in the department of Usulután, as El Salvador’s first WHSRN site. Designated under the Regional Importance category, it also becomes WHSRN Site 128, strengthening hemispheric efforts to conserve shorebirds and their habitats.
The complex encompasses approximately 156,906 acres of coastal wetlands, including extensive mangrove forests, estuaries, intertidal flats, and sandy beaches. The site forms part of the Bahía de Jiquilisco Ramsar Site, internationally recognized for its ecological importance, and contains the largest mangrove ecosystem in El Salvador.
The WHSRN designation is based on the site’s importance for the Wilson’s Plover (Anarhynchus wilsonia). In October 2022, surveys recorded 1,015 individuals, representing 3,47% of the species’ estimated global population, well above the threshold required for designation as a Regional WHSRN Site. Recent monitoring continues to document significant concentrations of the species throughout the wetland.
The Bahía Jiquilisco Complex is a key site for migratory and resident shorebirds along the Pacific coast of Central America.
Beyond its importance for shorebirds, Bahía Jiquilisco is one of the most significant biodiversity conservation sites in Central America. The area supports the largest nesting colony of the Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the eastern Pacific, the only known breeding population of the Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) in El Salvador, and a rich diversity of birds, reptiles, and species associated with mangrove ecosystems.
The nomination was prepared and submitted by Miguel Eduardo Araujo Padilla of Fundación Ecológica SalvaNATURA, with the support of El Salvador’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. The proposal received a favorable review from regional experts familiar with the site and its priority species.
The addition of Bahía Jiquilisco to WHSRN marks a major milestone for shorebird conservation in Central America. This designation strengthens regional cooperation and recognizes the strategic importance of El Salvador’s wetlands for the conservation of migratory birds throughout the Americas.
