Río Canandé Reserve. See a larger image. (Use your back button to return here.)

Río Canandé Reserve

Target size: 5,000 ha (12,300 acres)
Current size, May 2008: 2,100 ha (5,200 acres)

Río Canandé is a lowland rainforest reserve in the north west of Ecuador, protecting an endemic rich type of habitat, the Choco, which is now highly fragmented by intensive agriculture (such as oil palm plantations) and timber extraction. Very little is under protection, and the Canandé reserve is located close to the southern boundary of what remains.

Anolis lizard. Río Canandé is home to several species of frogs and reptiles, 38 of which were photographed by a team from the Museo Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales, Quito in August 2004.

This reserve was expanded to about 1000 hectares in early 2004, and a visitor lodge has recently been constructed, by adapting an existing dwelling on the property. It is hoped eventually to form a protected corridor to join the Chachi indigenous peoples land about 10km to the north.

Wildlife at Río Canandé

Río Canandé is home to Jaguar, Howler, Spider and Capuchin Monkey, and Baird’s Tapir. There are about 30 near threatened or restricted range species of birds at Río Canandé, and the following globally threatened bird species are also found at the reserve:

• Plumbeous Forest-falcon
• Great-green Macaw
• Ochraceous Attila
• Long-wattled Umbrellabird
• Scarlet-breasted Dacnis
• Grey-backed Hawk

Fundación Jocotoco reserves:

| Buenaventura | Jorupe | Narupa | Río Canandé | Tapichalaca | Utuana | Yanacocha | Yunguilla |

« Back to Jocotoco Reserves page

More Information on the Tropical Forest Project

To learn more about the Ecuador project visit the main project page: Help Save the Rainforests.