Ecuador is known for its
rich flora and has about
10% of the world's species
of vascular plants

 

 

 

 

 


Ecological Reserve of Illinizas

 

 

 

 

 


The city of Otavalo is famous
for its outdoor market and
its weavers

 

 

 

 

 

.
Only male great frigatebirds
have the distinctive inflatable
red throat pouch

 

 

 

 

 


Enjoy biking on the
Cotopaxi mountain, Ecuador's
highest active volcano rising majestically above the
Andean mountains

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Tungurahua volcano


Ecotourism

 

“Ecotourism” is perhaps the most over-used and mis-used word in the travel industry. But what does it mean? The Ecotourism Society defines it as "responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people". A walk through the rainforest is not eco-tourism unless that particular walk somehow benefits that environment and the people who live there. A rafting trip is only eco-tourism if it raises awareness and funds to help protect the watershed.

7 Points to define Ecotourism:

1) Involves travel to natural destinations: These destinations are often remote areas, whether inhabited or uninhabited, and are usually under some kind of environmental protection at the national, international, communal or private level.

2) Minimizes Impact:. Ecotourism strives to minimize the adverse affects of hotels, trails, and other infrastructure by using either recycled materials or available local building materials, renewable sources of energy, recycling and safe disposal of waste and garbage, and environmentally and culturally sensitive architectural design. Minimization of impact also requires that the numbers and mode of behavior of travelers be regulated to ensure limited damage to the ecosystem.

3) Builds environmental awareness: Ecotourism means education, for both travelers and residents of nearby communities. Essential to good ecotourism are well-trained, multilingual naturalist guides with skills in natural and cultural history, environmental interpretation, ethical principles and effective communication. Ecotourism projects should also help educate members of the surrounding community, schoolchildren and the broader public in the host country.

4) Provides direct financial benefits for conservation: Ecotourism helps raise funds for environmental protection, research and education through a variety of mechanisms, including park entrance fees, tour company, hotel, airline and airport taxes and voluntary contributions.

5) Provides financial benefits and empowerment for local people: National Parks and other conservation areas will only survive if there are "happy people" around their perimeters. The local community must be involved with and receive income and other tangible benefits (potable water, roads, health clinics, etc.) from the conservation area and it's tourist facilities.

6) Respects local culture: Ecotourism is not only "greener" but also less culturally intrusive and exploitative than conventional tourism. It strives to be culturally respectful and have a minimal effect on both the natural environment and the human population of a host country. Part of being a responsible ecotourist is learning beforehand about the local customs, respecting dress codes and other social norms and not intruding on the community unless either invited or as part of a well organized tour.

7) Supports human rights and democratic movements: Ecotourism demands a more holistic approach to travel, one in which participants strive to respect, learn about and benefit both the local environment and local communities.

CONSERVATION IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: Borne of volcanic eruptions deep within the ocean, the Galapagos Islands have never been connected to a continental land mass.  Thus, the flora and fauna that colonized these once-sterile and isolated islands, lying nearly 600 miles from the coast, have evolved unique adaptations to each other and to their dry tropical environment.  Arriving with the wind, on ocean currents, in vegetation rafts, or in the feathers or droppings of birds, the plants and animals of the Galapagos evolved untouched by human hands for what scientists believe may be up to nine million years.  The Galapagos Archipelago consists of thirteen large islands, six smaller islands, over forty named islets and countless small rocks.

GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK RULES AND REGULATIONS: As in most areas of the world, the Galapagos Islands are under pressure from introduced species, including cats, goats, cattle, dogs, rats, pigs, burros, horses and a variety of insects.  Eradication efforts have been successful on a few islands, and are in progress on others.  Some species will be impossible to remove.  For this reason, the National Park Service has developed a set of rules that all visitors must follow.  Leave only footprints and take home only photographs.

  • Do not step out of the trails
  • Do not get too close to the animals
  • Do not touch the animals (above or underwater)
  • Do not take souvenirs from the islands
  • Do not litter
  • Clean your shoes’ soles before disembarking the islands. You may have carried some seeds endemic to one island  and would not want to introduce them to another
  • Always stay together with your group
  • Do not smoke on the islands
  • Do not take food onto the islands

ISLAND PRESERVATION:  In 1959, the government of Ecuador declared 97% of the total land area of the Islands as National Park.  The islands were also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve in 1978.  Another success in the Galapagos was the establishment of the Galapagos Marine Resources Reserve in 1986.  The Reserve includes all of the internal waters of the archipelago, as well as a surrounding zone of 15 nautical miles.  Nearly 80,000 square kilometers are protected in this area.  The government has also declared this area a whale sanctuary.

The Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Isles was founded in 1959.  The Foundation established the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island in 1960.  The Foundation is an international, non-profit organization committed to preserving the islands’ unique plant and animal species, and to providing scientific and technical support to the government of Ecuador in an effort to preserve the islands’ fragile ecosystem. The Darwin Research Station also conducts conservation-oriented research, as well as an extensive training program for naturalist tour guides.

The Foundation operates the Station through an agreement with the government of Ecuador.  In 1991, the government extended this agreement through 2016. Funding for the Darwin Station comes from international conservation organizations and concerned private donors.  Financial assistance is critical to pay for equipment, fieldwork, guide training, local environmental education programs and other related activities.  With a donation of $25.00 or more you will become a “Friend of Galapagos” and receive the “Galapagos Bulletin” and bi-annual publication of “Noticias”, the station’s technical journal.  Friends are invited to seminars and other informal gatherings to hear more about various research and conservation programs. You can make a tax-deductible donation by mail to The Charles Darwin Foundation, Inc., 407 N. Washington Street, Suite 105, Falls Church, VA  22046 (phone 703 538-6833) or via their website at http://www.darwinfoundation.org/.

In 1968, the National Park Service began programs in the Galapagos Islands, including eradication and control of introduced plant and animal species, restoration of native species, and the management of the rapid rise in recreation and tourism.  The Park Service, which works closely with the Charles Darwin Research Station, is funded through a variety of sources, including private donations.

FLORA: Ecuador has proportionally the richest flora in South America with approximately 230 families and between 18,000 and 25,000 species of vascular plants (approximately 10% of the world’s species.) This is largely due to the diverse ecological conditions created by the great altitudinal differences from sea level to nearly 20,700 feet in altitude. The vegetation varies from xerophytic scrub to rain forest and high-Andean páramos. The orchid family, for which Dodson has catalogued 2,725 species in Ecuador, comprises up to 11% of the world's total and 30% of Latin America's orchid varieties. The Andes support 1,050 species. In the Amazon basin and along the coast, around 800 species have been collected.

FAUNA: Ecuador has a surprisingly diverse and long list of species. There are close to 3,800 vertebrate species, 1,550 bird species, 320 species of mammals, 350 reptile species, 375 amphibian species, 800 fresh water fish species and 450 marine fish species that have been catalogued in this country. The bird species in Ecuador are higher in number per area than any other country in Latin America; 18% of the world's total bird species are represented here. Some 15% of the world's endemic bird species are found in the Sierra, on the Coast and in the Amazon, adding up to create the densest bird population in the world. Ecuador has more than a million insect species, among them 4,500 species of beautiful butterflies, 25,000 of these being nocturnal.

Animals are the main attraction in the Galapagos.  There are few places in the world where it is possible to see such a fascinating variety of species.  For bird watchers of the world it should be noted that around 15% of all protected, endangered and endemic bird species are only found in Ecuador. Of the 58 resident bird species in the Galapgos Islands, 28 are endemic – meaning they are found no where else in the world.  The only penguin that lives north of the equator – the Galapagos Penguin – is found here, along with the northern-most albatross – the Waved Albatross.  Other fascinating birds include the Blue-footed Booby, the Red-footed Booby, frigatebirds and flamingos.  And while not large or colorful, the Galapagos is home to 13 distinct species of finches, all descended from a common ancestor.  These are the famed Galapagos finches that Darwin described – each of which has different beaks, body size and shape, plumage and feeding habits – that helped in his thinking toward the theory of evolution through adaptation. 

Of the 22 species of reptiles found in the Galapagos, all but three are endemic.  Some of the most interesting are the marine iguana, the only sea-going lizard in the world, and of course, the giant Galapagos tortoise.  It is thought that 14 subspecies of these tortoises existed at one time; only eleven survive today, including Lonesome George – the last survivor of the Pinta Island tortoises.  Lonesome George lives at the Charles Darwin Research Station, hoping for the day when a female of that species might be found.

Because a long ocean crossing is difficult for mammals, only six found their way to the Galapagos – a situation common for oceanic islands.  The Galapagos is home to the Galapagos sea lion, the Galapagos fur seal, the hoary bat, the endemic Galapagos bat, and two species of rice rats.  Sea lions live on most of the islands in the Galapagos, and will often visit the yachts when anchored near shore. 

For those interested in things underwater, the Galapagos also offers interesting snorkeling opportunities.  There are more than 1,900 species of marine invertebrates reported in the Galapagos, of which about 18 % are endemic.  Snorkelers may see reef sharks, octopus, squid, rays, lobsters and a variety of colorful tropical fish.

DID YOU KNOW?
The city of Baños is famous for its thermal hot springs that are heated by the neighboring volcano Tungurahua.