- Address: Coca, Ecuador;
- Area: 9820 sq. M. km .;
- Date of foundation: July 26, 1979.
The Yasuni National Park is Ecuador 's largest natural reserve. Located in the east of the country in the province of Oriente. Because of the phenomenal diversity of flora and fauna, it is endowed with the status of the International Biosphere Reserve. Here you can see pink dolphins, snakes with teeth, primates that publish demonic laughter, grasshoppers 40 cm long, giant spiders and many other amazing animals and plants.
The park covers an area of about 10,000 square meters. km. It is located in the Amazon basin. In addition to the territory of the sights there are several more rivers: Yasuni, Kurarai, Napo, Tiputini and Nashino.
The Yasuni Nature Park attracts tourists in two ways:
- Here you can see many different plants, birds, insects, animals, including rare and unusual.
- Here you can get acquainted with the culture of wild tribes that live in isolation from modern civilization.
Flora and fauna
To date, more than 2,000 species of fauna have been found on the territory of the Yasuni National Park: about 150 species of amphibians, 121 species of reptiles, 382 species of fish, and more than 600 species of birds. In the reserve grows about 2000 plant species. An absolute world record is set here - about 470 species of trees coexist peacefully on one hectare of land. This biodiversity of the Yasuni Park, according to some scientists, is due to its location. In the Amazon basin several times in history the climate changed, there were periods of heat and drought. With the onset of such times, animals migrated to the park, where habitat conditions remained unchanged and favorable. So the species diversity of the biocenosis of the Yasuni Reserve gradually expanded.
Culture of wild tribes
The Yasuni National Park is unique in that it has preserved the culture of original Indian tribes that still live in the jungles far from civilization. It is known about the existence of three tribes: taheeri, taromene and uaorani. The government of Ecuador has allocated a reservation for them in the north of the reserve, where the entrance to tourists is strictly prohibited. Only representatives of the Uaorani tribe are in contact with the outside world.
During a hike in the jungle you can meet an Indian. They do not wear clothes. On their belt, only a rope is tied, to which a tube, filled with arrows, is attached to the rear. The tips of the arrows are smeared with the poison of a tree frog. They hunt the Indians with a three-meter stick-pipe, from which they hit the target even from a distance of 20 meters.
How to get there?
In view of the importance of the site, any anthropological activity on the territory of the reserve is prohibited. But the authorities of Ecuador allowed visiting the park for tourists, according to the pre-planned paths and routes.
From the capital of Ecuador, Quito first get to the tourist center of Coca by bus. The journey time is approximately 9 hours. Further to the reserve follows another bus, after which the rafting on the river Napo begins. Guides are usually Indians, who are perfectly oriented in the area and know everything about the inhabitants of the wild jungle.
Tours include visits to several amazing lakes, night observation of animals, bathing in rivers. Here at every step you can notice some unusual insect or plant. In the jungle, tourists can see monkeys, jaguars, anacondas, bats, various lizards, frogs, flocks of colorful parrots, unusual insects. In the waters of rivers you can watch the dolphins, giant otters, prehistoric fishes, etc.
Thus, the animal and plant world of the Yasuni National Park is truly unique and diverse. Visiting the reserve will give any tourist unforgettable emotions and a lot of new impressions.
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