Mainland Ecuador
All photos are © Copyrighted and may not be reproduced without permission.
Ecuador is a country of superlatives, with words like "most" and the ending "est" used very frequently to describe its wealth of plant and animal diversity. Here are found about 1,600 species of birds, 4,500 kinds of butterflies, more than 25,000 plant varieties, about 10% of the world's total, and more orchids than any other country in the world--about 3,500. Needless to say, in the 3 days we added to our trip to the Galapagos, it wasn't feasible to see them all--we did, however, do our best! We visited the high altitude area of Quito, the cloud forest, and the rain forest. Each area was distinct in its flora and fauna and all were astounding. It was like an appetizer before a meal--we were left wanting the main course.
Ecuador, as its name implies, sits on the Equator. The diversity of habitats is due to the Andean mountains, running like a spine through the center of the country. This geography promotes isolation of species to the west and east. Indeed, as one descends to the west, he will eventually end up in the Amazon basin. If one goes east, the Pacific coast will be the end result. In between are all manner of forests at different altitudes and with varying rain patterns which produce the diverse areas we visited.
Ecuador, as its name implies, sits on the Equator. The diversity of habitats is due to the Andean mountains, running like a spine through the center of the country. This geography promotes isolation of species to the west and east. Indeed, as one descends to the west, he will eventually end up in the Amazon basin. If one goes east, the Pacific coast will be the end result. In between are all manner of forests at different altitudes and with varying rain patterns which produce the diverse areas we visited.
