Ríos Blanco y Negro Wildlife Reserve, Wildlife reserve in Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia.
Ríos Blanco y Negro Wildlife Reserve is a large protected area in northern Santa Cruz Department that covers territory across multiple municipalities. The Blanco and Negro Rivers flow through the reserve and create seasonal flooding patterns that form Várzea forest zones, which regulate water levels throughout the protected area.
The protected area was established in 1990 through ministerial resolution to preserve biological diversity in northern Bolivia. This official designation reflected growing recognition of the ecological importance of these forest regions.
Indigenous Guarayo and Chiquitano groups live within and around the reserve, maintaining traditional practices like hunting, fishing, and farming that are woven into daily life here.
Access to the reserve is limited and requires preparation for remote conditions, local knowledge, or guidance from experienced guides. Visiting outside the main rainy season makes navigation easier, as water levels and seasonal flooding affect accessibility throughout the year.
The reserve connects two very different forest types where the dry Chiquitano forests meet the humid Amazon forests of the Madeira-Tapajós region. This overlap creates unusual ecological conditions with high species diversity and distinct habitats in close proximity.
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