The mangrove swamps are found from north to south in the Ecuadorian coastal region; from the province of Esmeraldas to the one of El Oro. They are areas where an extensive group of trees and woody bushes have been adapted to the harsh climate conditions; and where the fresh water of the rivers is mixed with the seawater. Looking at Ecuador's map, you will find a little place called Naranjal, located south of the Guayas province. This place is home of Ecuador’s biggest and most important mangrove swamp, where a great variety of aquatic, amphibious and land animals live: the Churute Mangrove Swamp Ecological Reserve. Measuring almost 50,000 hectares, this reserve is a unique cocktail of life, a true wonder for all eyes to see.
To enjoy this landscape, visitors can choose among these five routes offered by the reserve:
• The path that goes up in the Mate hill: it is a 4 hours walk. Home to a fauna of great diversity, it is a place where monkeys, birds, squirrels, invertebrates and all animals in general make up an interesting experience.
• The path that goes up in the Pancho Diablo hill: this is also 4 hours long. It has exuberant vegetation, and it is also the howling monkey’s favorite spot.
• The path to the viewpoint: it is usually taken together with the Pancho Diablo path, since they head to the same direction. It is only 30 meters (98ft) long, but the path makes an ascent of 80 meters (262ft) above the sea level. The highest point provides a 360° view of the astonishing mangrove swamps and their surroundings.
• The path to the Canclón Lake: it takes 8 hours to walk it. It is the hardest path, but there, we can easily watch over 600 bird species along the way. Among these birds is found the canclón, an endangered bird species of the size of a goose, of which only 180 individuals remain in Ecuador.
• The mangrove swamp area: this is a tour that lasts five hours made by ship, and it's probably the most visited route, since it takes visitors closer to the amazing mangrove plants and, in some parts of the route, it even passes under trees forming tunnels. Here, visitors can observe dolphins, flamingos, herons and all the animal species of the region.
The phrase “mangrove is life” gets a new sense for those who have visited the area. In 1990, due to the devastation of almost 50% of the mangroves of the world, carried out for the past 50 years by the fishing, shrimp and lumber industries, the Churute Mangrove Ecological Reserve was registered in the Ramsar International Agreement, which regulates the conservation and the rational use of the mangrove and its resources. Certainly, the Churute Reserve is an aquatic and land life sanctuary that we must preserve.
Photo: kaeru.my
No comments:
Post a Comment