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Home > Destinations > South
America > Ecuador > Regional Highlights > Yasuni National Park
Yasuni National Park
Between the Napo and the Curaray Rivers in the Amazonian region of Ecuador lies the most biologically diverse region in the world. Established in 1979 and made a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1989, The Yasuni National Park holds the record for largest variety of plant and animal groups within over two million acres of land. The park lies at the center of a small zone where the levels of amphibian, bird, mammal and vascular plant diversity reaches a maximum in the Western Hemisphere. With more than 600 bird species, 150 amphibian species, 650 tree species and over 100,000 insect species, this lush, beautiful region is a treasure in our changing world.
Unfortunately for rare, beautiful regions such as this, economic exploitation is always a possibility. Lying beneath the green layers of untouched forests are three large oil fields: the untapped Ishpingo, Tiputini, and Tambococha. However, in 2007, a historic and unprecedented proposal came about within the Ecuadorian government. The Yasuni-ITT proposal states that the government will refrain from drilling for oil in exchange for international compensation of the lost revenue. By leaving the oil in the ground permanently, the Yasuni National Park is protected from potential colonization, deforestation, illegal logging and unsustainable hunting.
Visiting the Yasuni National Park will bring you wildlife experiences unmatched in other parts of the world. The ecosystem of the Amazonian region supports healthy populations of carnivores, such as jaguars and harpy eagles, which are the most powerful bird of prey in the world. It protects more than 20 globally threatened mammal species, including the white-bellied spider monkey and the golden-mantled tamarin, as well as several freshwater mammals, including the rare giant otter.
In addition to the numerous wildlife and plant life, Yasuni National Park is also home to some of the last indigenous peoples to be living in isolation. The park is within the claimed ancestral territory of the Huaroni indigenous people. This entire population would have been affected by oil drilling as well, yet remain isolated where the forests and rivers provide them with all their life needs. Another indigenous population in the region is the Kichwa, who have been in close cooperation with the Napo Wildlife Center.
Visit the Yasuni National Park on our Ecuador Trip Extension.
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