On Wednesday, the Jiquilisco Bay Complex in the department of Usulutan was designated as El Salvador’s first site to join the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) under the Regional Importance category.
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This inclusion makes the wetland the 128th site in the network—an initiative that promotes the conservation of shorebirds and the ecosystems supporting their migratory and reproductive cycles across the hemisphere.
Located in eastern El Salvador, Jiquilisco Bay encompasses approximately 634.9 square kilometers of coastal wetlands, comprising mangrove forests, estuaries, intertidal flats, and sandy beaches.
The complex is part of the Jiquilisco Bay Ramsar site, recognized for its ecological significance and for hosting the country’s largest mangrove ecosystem.
#DeVida La Fundación Atlántida realiza el lanzamiento oficial del Libro de Aves del Ecoparque El Espino en la Biblioteca Nacional de El Salvador (BINAES), una obra que celebra la riqueza natural y cultural del país, integrando arte, ciencia y sostenibilidad.
Video… pic.twitter.com/uRP8bIUqgb
— Diario El Salvador (@elsalvador) September 11, 2026
The text reads, “DeVida The Atlántida Foundation officially launches the Book of Birds of El Espino Ecopark at the National Library of El Salvador (BINAES), a work that celebrates the country’s natural and cultural wealth, integrating art, science, and sustainability.”
The area is a vital site for both migratory and resident shorebirds along Central America’s Pacific coast. Its WHSRN designation was based primarily on the presence of the Wilson’s Plover (Anarhynchus wilsonia), a species associated with coastal wetlands and intertidal flats.
Surveys conducted in October 2022 recorded 1,015 individuals of this species, representing 3.47 percent of its global population. According to the data provided, this figure exceeds the threshold required for an area to be recognized under the Regional Importance category.
In addition to its value for shorebirds, Jiquilisco Bay is home to species that are important for biodiversity conservation in El Salvador. The area is home to the largest nesting colony of the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the Eastern Pacific.
The complex also protects the only known breeding population of Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) in El Salvador, along with a wide diversity of birds, reptiles, and species associated with mangrove forests.
The nomination was prepared and submitted by Miguel Eduardo Araujo Padilla of the SalvaNATURA Ecological Foundation, with support from El Salvador’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. The proposal received a favorable assessment from regional experts familiar with the site and the priority species inhabiting the complex.
Social organizations took to the streets of El Salvador on Independence Day to protest the current government’s policies.
Demonstrators rallied against the state of emergency, arbitrary detentions, economic hardship, and the potential collapse of the pension system, organizing… pic.twitter.com/Qn6j3JNLzy
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) September 15, 2026
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