Cuyabeno National Park

Localization

Northeast Ecuador close to Colombian and Peruvian borders (No. 21 in the map on Ecuador introducing page)

Access

By boat along the Aguarico river from Lago Agrio

Characteristic

6 034 km²; Lowland area of Ecuadorean part of the Amazonean basin, rivers Aquarico and Cuabeňo with a system of 14 beautiful flooded lagoons, large wetlands. Typical ecosystems: primary tropical lowland rain forest, river and lake ecosystems. Extraordinary biodiversity of plant and animal species.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

100 mammal species

Marsupials - Opossums (Didelphidae): Brown-eared Woolly Opossum

Bats - Bulldog Bats (Noctilionidae): Greater Bulldog Bat

- New World Leaf-nosed Bats (Phyllostomidae): Large Fruit-eating Bat

- Emballonuridae: Proboscis Bat

Primates - New World Monkeys (Cebidae): White-fronted Capuchin; Pygmy Marmoset; South American Squirrel Monkey; Black-mantled Tamarin

- Titis, Sakis and Uakaris (Pitheciidae): Monk Saki; Coppery Titi; Yellow-handed Titi

- Spider Monkeys and Wooly Monkeys (Atelidae): Red Howler Monkey; Humboldt´s Wooly Monkey

- Night Monkeys (Aotidae): Noisy Night Monkey

Edentata - Anteaters (Myrmecophagidae): Giant Anteater

- Megalonychid Sloths (Megalonychidae): Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth

- Three-toed Sloths (Bradypodidae): Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth; Pale-throated Three-toed Sloth

- Armadillos (Dasypodidae): Giant Armadillo; Nine-banded Armadillo

Lagomorphs - Rabbits and Hears (Leporidae): Forest Rabbit

Rodents - Squirrels (Sciuridae): Northern Amazon Red Squirrel

- Guinea Pigs (Caviidae): Capybara

- Agoutis and Acuchis (Dasyproctidae): Green Acuchi; Black Agouti; Kalinowski´s Agouti

- Pacas (Agoutidae): Paca

Carnivores - Weasels, Otters, Badgers (Mustelidae): Giant Otter

- Procyonids (Procyonidae): Kinkajou

- Cats (Felidae): Jaguar; Ocelot; Puma

Whales - River Dolphins (Platanistidae): Pink River Dolphin

Dugongs and Manatees - Manatees (Trichechidae): Amazonian Manatee

Odd-toed Ungulates - Tapirs (Tapiridae): South American Tapir

Even-toed Ungulates - Peccaries (Tayassuidae): Colared Peccary; White-lipped Peccary

Birds:

580 bird species

Tinamiformes - Tinamous (Tinamidae): Cinereous Tinamou; Great Tinamou; Little Tinamou; Undulated Tinamou; Variegated Tinamou 

Pelecaniformes - Anhingas (Anhingidae): Anhinga

- Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Neotropic Cormorant

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Cattle Egret; Snowy Egret; Little Blue Heron; Boat-billed Heron; Capped Heron; Cocoi Heron; Striated Heron; Rufescent Tiger-Heron

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Muscovy Duck

Birds of Prey - American Vultures (Cathartidae): American Black Vulture; King Vulture; Turkey Vulture; Greater Yellow-headed Vulture

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Great Black-Hawk; Crested Eagle; American Harpy Eagle; Black-collared Hawk; Slate-colored Hawk; Double-toothed Kite; Grey-headed Kite; Grenada Hook-billed Kite; Plumbeous Kite; Swallow-tailed Kite

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Black Caracara; Bat Falcon; Laughing Falcon; American Kestrel

Galliformes - Chachalacas, Guans and Curassows (Cracidae): Speckled Chachalaca; Salvin's Curassow; Spix's Guan; Blue-throated Piping-Guan   

Gruiformes - Finfoots and Sungrebes (Heliornithidae): Sungrebe

Charadriiformes - Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Spotted Sandpiper

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Southern Lapwing

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Grey-fronted Dove; Pale-vented Pigeon; Plumbeous Pigeon; Ruddy Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Blue-and-yellow Macaw; Chestnut-fronted Macaw; Red-and-green Macaw; Cobalt-winged Parakeet; Black-headed Parrot; Blue-headed Parrot; Mealy Parrot; Orange-winged Parrot

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Black-banded Owl; Tawny-bellied Screech Owl; Tropical Screech Owl

Cuculiformes - Cuckoos, Anis, Coucals and Roadrunners (Cuculidae): Greater Ani; Smooth-billed Ani; Squirrel Cuckoo

Opisthocomiformes - Hoatzins (Opisthocomidae): Hoatzin

Goatsuckers - Potoos (Nyctibiidae): Common Potoo

Apodiformes - Hummingbirds (Trochilidae): Sooty Barbthroat; Great-billed Hermit; Little Hermit; Reddish Hermit; White-bearded Hermit; Blue-tailed Hummingbird; Fiery Topaz

Trogoniformes - Trogons (Trogonidae): Black-tailed Trogon; Blue-crowned Trogon; White-tailed Trogon

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): Amazon Kingfisher; Green Kingfisher; Green-and-rufous Kingfisher; American Pygmy Kingfisher; Ringed Kingfisher

- Motmots (Momotidae): Blue-crowned Motmot

Galbuliformes - Jacamars (Galbulidae): Purplish Jacamar; White-chinned Jacamar; White-eared Jacamar; Yellow-billed Jacamar

- Puffbirds (Bucconidae): Black-fronted Nunbird; White-fronted Nunbird; Yellow-billed Nunbird; Brown Nunlet 

Piciformes - Barbets (Capitonidae): Black-spotted Barbet; Gilded Barbet; Red-headed Barbet

- Toucans (Ramphastidae): Ivory-billed Aracari; Lettered Aracari; Many-banded Aracari; Choco Toucan; Cuvier's Toucan; Yellow-ridged Toucan; Golden-collared Toucanet

- Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Lafresnaye's Piculet; Chestnut Woodpecker; Cream-colored Woodpecker; Crimson-crested Woodpecker; Lineated Woodpecker; Red-necked Woodpecker

Perching Birds - Woodcreepers (Dendrocolapidae): Long-billed Woodcreeper; Ocellated Woodcreeper; Straight-billed Woodcreeper; Strong-billed Woodcreeper

- Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Chestnut-throated Spinetail

- Antshrikes (Thamnophilidae): Silvered Antbird; Spot-backed Antbird; Cocha Antshrike; Dugand's Antwren; Grey Antwren; Plain-throated Antwren; Pygmy Antwren; Río Suno Antwren; Sooty Antbird; Streaked Antwren

- Antbirds (Formicariidae): Ochre-striped Antpitta

- Cotingas (Cotingidae): Plum-throated Cotinga; Bare-necked Fruitcrow; Purple-throated Fruitcrow; Screaming Piha; Black-necked Red-Cotinga

- Manakins (Pipridae): Golden-headed Manakin; Orange-crested Manakin

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Cinnamon Attila; White-winged Becard; Black-tailed Flycatcher; Boat-billed Flycatcher; Social Flycatcher; Streaked Flycatcher; Great Kiskadee; Lesser Kiskadee; Black-tailed Tityra; Drab Water Tyrant

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): White-banded Swallow; White-winged Swallow

- Crows and Jays (Corvidae): Violaceous Jay

- Wrens (Troglodytidae): Black-capped Donacobius; House Wren; Thrush-like Wren

- Gnatcatchers (Polioptilidae): Collared Gnatwren

- Tanagers (Thraupidae): Yellow-bellied Dacnis; Orange-bellied Euphonia; Fulvous Shrike-Tanager; Masked Crimson Tanager; Green-and-gold Tanager; Guira Tanager; Magpie Tanager; Palm Tanager

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Ecuadorian Cacique; Yellow-rumped Cacique; Velvet-fronted Grackle; Moriche Oriole; Crested Oropendola; Russet-backed Oropendola

- Cardinals and Grosbeaks (Cardinalidae): Red-capped Cardinal

- Bananaquits (Coerebidae): Bananaquit

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Blue-black Grassquit; Lesser Seed-Finch

Reptiles:

91 reptile species

Lizards and Snakes - Iguanas (Iguanidae): Slender Anole (Anolis fuscoauratus); Yellow-tongued Forest Anole (Anolis nitens)

- Boas, Pythons (Boidae): Green Anaconda

Crocodilia - Alligators (Alligatoridae): 5 species of caimans

Amphibians:

96 amphibian species

Frogs - Tree Frogs (Hylidae): Flat-headed Bromelia Treefrog (Osteocephalus planiceps); Rough-skinned Green Treefrog (Hyla granosa)

- Toads (Bufonidae): Toad (Bufo margaritifer)

Fish:

more than 450 fish species

Insect:

Great amount of butterfly and beetle species

Plants:

12 000 vasular plants species, 260 tree species

Monocotyledons:

Arecales - Arecaceae: Mauritia flexuosa- dominant species in wetlands

Asparagales - orchids (Orchidaceae): 60 orchid species

Possible activities

Forest trekking,

Fishing, canoe trips along the river and on lagoons

Note

Best time to visit IV-X

Five different ethnic groups living in the park

Picture - source Photogallery of Albatros Travel and Expeditions