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The flora of Ecuador’s northern Andes can be best characterized by the high altitude scrub and grasslands known as the páramos. Conditions in the páramo are cold, damp and windy, making it difficult for most plants to survive. Most of the vegetation in the páramo of the Andes grows close to the ground in smaller, shrub-like mossy clumps. It’s not uncommon to see plants that have developed smaller, thick and waxy leaves or tiny hairs in order to cope with the harsh conditions of high altitude existence. Such adaptations help them to not only retain water from the typical misty air of the páramo, but also to defend against frost. In addition to the grasses, shrubs, dwarf bushes and clumpy mosses, the páramo is also home to a variety of colorful floral species, including gentians, chuquiraguas and terrestrial bromeliads known as achupallas. A particularly well-known plant in the páramo is the giant espletia, which resembles a hum from a distance because of its size.
The native wildlife is restricted to highlands and reserves, Llamas, Rabbits, shrews and deer are also a common sight. Although larger mammals like the mountain lion (Puma), the Andean spectacled bear and the Andean fox are all known to wander the páramo, it is not so easy to actually see these animals on any given trip to the páramo.
The northern Andes are also home to a variety of birds, the most famous being the Andean Condor, which is one of the largest scavenger birds on earth, and the Carunculated Caracara, which is a black falcon with an orange face, a yellow bill and legs and a white underbelly. However, both are more likely to be spotted in the central and southern Andes. A number of smaller birds like the Andean Coot, the Andean Teal, the Andean Gull and a incredible amount and variety of hummingbird species have also been spotted in the northern Andes.
Toucans, parakeets, armadillos, tanagers, hummingbirds and even the occasional monkey are just a few of the creatures that live in these environments...
Moving to the Coast and to the Amazon basin the Ecuador Cloudforest is the most diverse and well preserved area. Such areas are rich in colorful vegetation and serve as home to a remarkable amount of wildlife. The Imbabura and Carchi cloudforest are a paradise for birding. Toucans, parakeets, armadillos, tanagers, hummingbirds and even the occasional monkey are just a few of the creatures that live in these environments. You can also find plants such as the Dracula, the Cinnamomum, the Mahogany and the Balsa. Local cloud forest farmers are known to cultivate fruit and vegetable crops including the Maracuyá, the Granadilla, the Naranjilla, and the Plantain.
The Cotacachi-Cayapas stretches from the Andean slopes of Imbabura to the interior plains of Esmeraldas province and it covers 243.638 hectares. Near the Colombian border is the smaller Reserva Ecológica El Angel, which covers roughly 15,715 hectares, in the province of Carchi . This particular reserve is an excellent location for spotting condors, foxes and the frailejones plant. Another important destination is the Golondrinas Cloud Forest, where scientists go to study creatures in their natural habitats.
