Rio Canandé Reserve

• Name
• Rio Canandé Reserve
• Area:
• 2000 ha
• Habitat Type:
• Tropical Rainforest
• Location:
• Loja, Ecuador
• Base City:
• Pedro Vicente Maldonado
• Accommodation:
• Canandé Lodge
• Find Reserve:
• Map

Rio Canandé Reserve Establishment & Habitat

Located in Esmereldas, the Rio Canande Reserve was established in 2000 to contain a representative section of Choco tropical rainforest between an altitude of 100 to 500 above sea level. The reserve includes both primary and recovering forest (before protection, some areas were logged to remove timber). Less than 25% of Choco Rainforest remains with less than 10% in Ecuador.

Threats to the area are from timber extraction and the agricultural deforestation for Palm oil plantations. This is an increasing concern as the demand for biofuels threatens the forest. Staff are the Canande Reserve assist the local communities with forest conservation management. The Canande River borders the southernmost point of the reserve.

Wildlife of the Rio Canandé Reserve

The reserve includes 37 endemic species including 7 globally threatened species. Threatened birds in the reserve include:

• Great-green Macaw
• Baudó Guan
• Plumbeous Forest-Falcon
• Banded Gound-Cuckoo
• Long-wattled Umbrellabird
• Scarlet-breasted Dacnis
• Yellow-green Bush-Tanager
• Sapayoa
• Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle
• Chocó Poorwill
• White-tipped Cotinga
• Great Jacamar

From the use of trail cameras and footprints we know there are populations of jaguar, puma, ocelot, and margay, collared peccary, and red brocket deer. Several monkeys are also present in the reserve including mantled howler monkey, brown-headed Spider monkey , and white-headed capuchin monkey.

A survey of reptiles and amphibians revealed 71 species (35 endemic) in the reserve including colourful poison dart frogs you can see around the Canande Lodge. The plants of the reserve are diverse and a number are critically endangered like the rare Geonoma palm. The reserve also includes a tree only found in mainland Ecuador (Ecuadendron).

Visiting the Rio Canandé Reserve

If you’re interested in visiting in the reserve, you can stay at the Canande Lodge. Please enquire to make arrangements with the Quito office and we can schedule a ferry. An extensive trail network surrounds the lodge where you can explore the Rio Canande Reserve.