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Ecuador has an impressive volume of its land mass as national parks and other protected areas. PANE is the name given for Ecuador’s protected areas. PANE areas cover 10 percent of Ecuador’s total territory, which is one of the largest commitments to national reserves of any country in the world. In total, there are 44 protected areas. The parks and reserves are rich with Ecuador’s diverse flora and fauna. In the PANE areas, it is possible to find 75 percent of Ecuador’s bird life, 90 percent of the country’s amphibians and 60 percent of its flora.
Many of Ecuador’s indigenous groups rely on the resources that the national parks and other protected areas hold. In particular, groups such as Waorani, Kiwchwa, Shuar, Achuar, Shiwiar and the Cofan play their part in the conservation of the reserves. By protecting these areas, Ecuador goes a long way toward conserving them for future generations. The conservation efforts help to protect the parks to some degree from the activities of oil companies and other exploitation.
One of the best things about Ecuador’s national parks and reserves is that they are all fairly close together, with the exception of the Galapagos National Park. Within a few hours, a person can travel from an Andean reserve to a jungle or coastal national park. The extremes of altitude mean that a visitor can be driving through the countryside and watch the flora, fauna and landscapes change dramatically—in many cases, within an hour. Because Ecuador is a small country, the parks are easily reachable in a relatively short amount of time compared to national parkland in other parts of Latin America. The average trip from the capital city to a national park is just one hour, by car.
The parks and reserves are rich with Ecuador’s diverse flora and fauna....
National Parks and reserves can be found in all areas of Ecuador. They are located in the regions of the Andes, the coast, the jungle and the Galapagos Islands. The national parks and reserves of Ecuador consist of:
Galapagos
Galapagos National ParkGalapagos Marine Reserve
Coast
Galera-San Francisco Marine ReserveMachalilla National Park
Mangalares-Churute Ecological Reserve
Andes
El Angel Ecological ReserveCotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve
Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve
Pasochoa Silvestre Refuge
Antisana Ecological Reserve
El Boliche National Recreation Area
Cotopaxi National Park
Los Illinizas Ecological Reserve
Llanganates National Park
Chimborazo Fauna Production Reserve
Cajas National Park
Podocarpus National Park
Amazon
Cuyabeno Reserve for the Production of FaunaCayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve
Limoncocha Biological Reserve
Yasuni National Park
Sangay National Park
Other PANE Areas
Coast
Mache-Chindul Ecological ReserveSanta Clara Island Wildlife Refuge
Muisne River Estuary Mangroves Wildlife Refuge
El Salado Mangroves Fauna Production Reserve
Santa Elena Peninsula Marina Fauna Wildlife Reserve
El Morro Mangroves Wildlife Refuge
Pacoche Coastal Marine Wildlife Refuge
Esmeraldas River Estuary Mangroves Wildlife Refuge
Parque Lago National Recreation Area
Arenillas Ecological Reserve
Isla Corazon and Fragatas Wildlife Refuge
Cayapas Mataje Ecological Reserve
La Chiquita Refuge
Isla Santay and Isla Del Gallo National Recreation Area
Los Samanes National Recreation Area
Pambilar Wildlife Reserve
Amazon
El Zarza Wildlife RefugeCofan-Bermejo Ecological Reserve
Sumaco-Napo Galeras National Park
El Condor National Park
El-Quimi Biological Reserve
Yacuri National Park
