Nature in Bolivia

Bolivia's natural regions extend from the Andes, Altiplano and Puna through the Yungas and montane forests to Amazonía and the eastern lowlands. Beni savanna, bosque chiquitano, Pantanal and the dry Chaco are among the habitats in the lowlands. Rivers, lakes, salt lagoons and high-Andean bofedales add further ecological systems. Well-known protected areas include Madidi, Noel Kempff Mercado, Amboró, Sajama, Eduardo Avaroa, TIPNIS, Otuquis and Torotoro. National protection is organized through the Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, or SNAP. SERNAP operates under the environment ministry MMAyA, while DGBAP, departmental and municipal authorities, and Indigenous and local communities take on additional responsibilities depending on the area. The 2025 PEI lists 22 national protected areas covering about 170,047 square kilometres, or 16.63 percent of Bolivia. It also lists 42 subnational protected areas covering about 13 percent; protected areas together cover about 29 percent. TIOC, Indigenous territories with their own political and cultural organization, cover about 20 percent, and protected areas plus TIOC cover about 48 percent. Counts differ by register and counting method: a public SERNAP notice from April 2026 lists 23 areas, while a FAQ lists 24. The current register for the specific area therefore matters when a decision depends on an exact count. Protected areas may be designated as Parque Nacional, Reserva or ANMI. Zoning, the management plan, Guardaparques and Comités de Gestión determine which activities are allowed. Where a protected area overlaps a TIOC, shared management may apply and community rules may operate alongside public rules, while the conservation purpose of the protected area remains in force. Ramsar sites add recognition for significant wetlands. Bolivia has 11 Ramsar sites covering about 14,842,405 hectares, but Ramsar designation alone does not create one uniform strict-protection regime. Sustainable use is allowed only when it fits the protection category, zoning and management plan. Depending on the project, an authorization, coordination with SERNAP and the protected-area administration, an environmental assessment or an environmental licence may be required. Agriculture, livestock, timber use, mining and infrastructure are therefore not automatically allowed. Community-based uses can include vicuña fibre, fishing and non-timber forest products when local rules and the management framework permit them. Protected-area conservation and local livelihoods are balanced through participatory management, Comités de Gestión, the CCU process, environmental licensing and monitoring. Nature tourism, trekking, wildlife observation and landscape visits follow area-specific rules. Visitors may need to register with Guardaparques or the local administration, stay within permitted itineraries, respect seasonal and capacity limits, avoid disturbing wildlife and take all waste away. Fees and access conditions vary by area. The Pasaporte para la Conservación, approved in 2024, is a voluntary financing mechanism; an SERNAP report from 2025 cites a contribution of Bs 200, but this does not establish one universal entry fee for every protected area. Research, filming and other organized activities may require an FAI procedure and authorization from SERNAP or the protected-area directorate. Applications should normally be submitted at least 15 business days in advance and include identification, schedule, participant list, an approved project, any required deposit, sample or filming permits, and procedures for submitting results, georeferenced data and managing residues. Incomplete applications can be rejected. Relevant species include the Andean condor, the vicuña and the jaguar. The Andean condor is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and as near threatened in Bolivia by SERNAP. Law 1525 imposes an absolute hunting ban and provides for habitat protection, education, research and action against poisoning and trafficking; the Plan de Acción covers 2020 to 2030. Vicuñas are managed by communities and have cultural and economic value. A national census conducted by SERNAP, DGBAP, ACOFIVB and WCS ran from April to June 2026. Depending on the region, threats include poaching, mining, damage to bofedales, pressure from grazing, water degradation, habitat loss, fire and wildlife trafficking. The Red Book, CITES and CMS are relevant reference frameworks. Wildfires and smoke can result from poorly managed or unauthorized burning. Drought, floods, frost, hail and extreme rainfall also affect habitats and access. ABT controls forests and land use, SIMB processes satellite fire hotspots, and unauthorized burning can lead to administrative or criminal sanctions. Temporary ecological pauses or burning restrictions may cover protected areas, Ramsar sites and TIOC. SENAMHI provides meteorological and hydrological monitoring, forecasts, alerts and drought tools. Bolivia's environmental law supports both formal and non-formal environmental education. Law 1333, Articles 81 to 86, provides for interdisciplinary environmental content, university training and science, as well as the use of traditional technologies. SERNAP supports outreach through guardaparque activities, fairs and talks. Schools, universities, communities, researchers and NGOs can participate, but Bolivia has no single national qualification covering all nature-related work. Conflicts commonly arise at agricultural frontiers and through unplanned deforestation, illegal logging and hunting, mining, roads, infrastructure and poorly managed fires. Mining can conflict with vicuña habitats in the highlands, while protected areas and TIOC can bring conservation goals into tension with local rights and income. SERNAP, DGBAP, MMAyA, ABT, departmental and municipal authorities, and community or TIOC authorities may all be involved. Under Law 1333, people have rights to participate, receive environmental information and submit petitions. They also have to respect zoning and permits and avoid illegal burning, wildlife harm and waste.