Location: Cotopaxi, Napo, Pastaza, Tungurahua Provinces Map
Area: 219,707 ha
Llanganates National Park is located in Cotopaxi,
Napo, Pastaza, Tungurahua Provinces of Ecuador. Llanganates National
Park covers an area of 219,707 ha. The park is divided into two
ecological zones, the western zone and the eastern zone.
The
western zone is located in the Andean moorland, well above the
eastern zone. Here, visitors find a desert landscape of mountain
peaks and high valleys. The area is populated mainly by South
American camelids such as vicuñas, llamas and alpacas.
The
eastern area is one located on the eastern flanks of the Andes. Here
the visitor finds a rich biodiversity of plants and animals among
the twisted forests of the upper part of the Amazon. This area is
very inaccessible, and is usually traveled only on foot. The large
number of rivers, which flow out of the Andes, also makes this area
difficult to cross.
Flora
The Llanganates conserve
important species of native plants. Among them are the pumamaqui,
myrtle, bulrush, yagual, palm of bouquets, lycopodium
(representative of the family of lycopodiaceae, they are ferns and,
specifically, the lycopodium is characterized by having quite long
stems, can measure up to a meter long), gentians, achupalla,
pajonales, cedar, chuncho, ceibo, garango, mahogany, chontaduro,
tagua, olive, orchids, bromeliads, anthuriums, frailejón and
heliconias (it is a genus that groups more than 100 species of
tropical plants, originating in South America, Central America, the
Pacific Islands and Indonesia, they are called platanillo for their
leaves or bird of paradise and lobster wheel for the colorful bracts
that wrap their flowers).
Wildlife
In this regard, this
National Park is also a clear representative of the national fauna
diversity, housing different animal species such as the mountain
tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), this is found from the northern part of
Peru, the eastern part and northwest of the Andes mountain range of
Ecuador to the western, eastern and central part of the Colombian
Andes. Its habitat is the montane forests and moors that go from
2000 to 4000 m.
Representative species such as the spectacled
bear, deer, goats, machin monkey, jaguar, puma, porcupine tapir,
guanta and the anteater are also located. Among the bird species are
the duck, Andean gull, curiquingue, condor, endangered species,
congos, pilco real or chick and hummingbirds, real, bunga and sword
beak.