Fundación Jocotoco Reserves

The Andean and western coastal provinces have very little intact habitat remaining. This is the region where Fundación Jocotoco is establishing its medium sized nature reserves, often by patching together smaller disconnected areas of remnant forest.

Determining the sizes of the reserves is not a straightforward process. The area is mountainous, so the question is - do you take the slope into account when measuring the area, or not? There is no standard method, and the reserve sizes indicated on the reserve pages are therefore approximations.

Fundación Jocotoco currently owns and manages eight reserves:

Existing Reserves

Buenaventura

The richest ornithological site in south west Ecuador and also home to Puma, Ocelot and Howler Monkey. The site of WLT's hummingbird webcam.

Jorupe

Located in the Tumbesian region, Jorupe (previously named Jatunpamba) supports more than 50 endemic birds.

Narupa

Purchased in April 2006, this 200 hectare reserve protects several globally threatened bird species, including the Military Macaw.

Río Canandé

Home to Jaguar, Howler, Spider and Capuchin Monkey and numerous Threatened and Near Threatened birds.

Tapichalaca

Home to the Jocotoco Antpitta, Spectacled Bear and Mountain Tapir, as well as nine globally threatened frogs and over 30 species of orchid found only in this reserve. Adjacent to Christopher Parsons reserve.

Utuana

Contains many endemic and threatened bird species, including Ochre-bellied Dove, Grey-headed Antbird and Ochraceous Attila.

Yanacocha

The only location for the Critically Endangered Black-breasted Puffleg hummingbird and also home to Puma and Spectacled Bear.

Yunguilla

The only location in the world for the Critically Endangered Pale-headed Brush-Finch

Planned Reserves

Fundación Jocotoco has identified the following site in urgent need of protection:

• Ayampe Reserve – would protect the southern-most semi-humid forest in existence along the immediate Pacific coast. An interesting mixture of humid and arid zone species occur here, including the endangered and endemic Esmeraldas Woodstar.
  Target size: 1000 ha (2500 acres).

More Information on the Tropical Forest Project

Other Ecuador reserves supported by the World Land Trust

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