Biodiversity
Plants
The wide variety of climates and ecosystems in Ecuador, gives rise to approximately 25,000
different species of plants, flowers and trees. In the rainforest alone, there
are more than 200 species of trees in one hectare of land, nearly 10 times more
than the richest forests of North America.
Mammals
Nearly 320 species of mammals exist in Ecuador, of which 1/3 are bats. There are 17 species
of monkeys, including spider, howler, chichicos, capuchinos and tití monkeys, dolphins,
whales and otters along the coast, dolphins and manatees in the Amazon, jaguars,
pumas, ocelots, desert wolves, capibear, deer, armadillos, anteaters, pecaries, porcupines,
tapir and a wide variety of rodents.
Birds
The 1550 species of birds include 167 species of flycatchers, 115 species of hummingbirds,
45 species of macaws, parrots and parakeets, 22 species of owls and 19 species of toucans.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Half of the 350 species of reptiles are serpents. There are also caimans, crocodiles,
turtles and marine and land iguanas. Amphibians include 375 species of frogs and toads.
Fish
More than 1250 species of fish live in Ecuador, including 88 fresh-water species, many of which
are very colorful and exported to aquariums all around the world.
