WILDLIFE REFUGE CERRO CANDELARIA

The Cerro Candelaria Reserve and the Cerro Candelaria Private Protected Area (2,731 ha), part of the National System of Protected Areas (SNAP), are covered by montane forests (91%) and páramo (9%), and border Sangay National Park to the south. This area experiences very high rainfall and humidity, with temperatures ranging between 6–15 °C. Existing threats to the area include deforestation, hunting, and the illegal collection of orchids and bromeliads. This reserve protects numerous endemic and threatened species, including 23 species of large mammals such as the Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque, EN), the Andean Bear (Tremarctos ornatus, VU), as well as other smaller mammals such as the Northern Tiger Cat (Leopardus tigrinus, VU), White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari, VU), and the Red Brocket Deer (Mazama rufina, VU), along with 11 species of small mammals. In Cerro Candelaria, 98 bird species have been recorded, including the Andean Eagle (Spizaetus isidori, EN), the Giant Antpitta (Grallaria gigantea, VU), and the Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan (Andigena hypoglauca, NT). This reserve is notable for its herpetofauna (64 amphibian species and 26 reptile species), and numerous amphibian discoveries have been made here, most of them with restricted distribution, including Pristimantis tungurahua (EN), P. marcroeyesi (EN), P. loujosti (DD), P. bellaae (EN), and P. puruscafeum (VU). The reserve is home to at least 15 threatened amphibian species, including Buckley’s High Andean Glass Frog (Centrolene buckleyi, CR), Naturetrek’s Noble Rain Frog (Nobella naturetrekii, EN), and the Abitagua Caecilian (Caecilia abitaguae, EN). Recently, in 2023, Pristimantis donnellsoni was described. Threatened reptile species in the area include Riama balneator (EN). There are also numerous endemic and threatened plant species such as Phaedranassa tunguraguae (EN), Zapotaca aculeata (EN), and Cedrela montana (VU). This reserve is remarkable for its diversity of orchids, with more than 15 species of the genus Teagueia discovered here, as well as other plants such as Blakea attenboroughii.