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Photo/Video Gallery
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Green Violetear Hummingbird: This is one of 61 species of hummingbirds that are symbols of the biodiversity of Andean cloud forests. Photographed at Nature & Culture's Scientific Station.
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Biodiversity of Flora:
Southern Ecuador has some of the greatest biodiversity in the world and many of its species are endemic to small local areas. That's why UNESCO declared a Biosphere Reserve there in September 2007. The flora shown here are from tropical rain forests, tropical cloud forests and rare tropical dry forests. These ecosystems contain many endemic plant and animal species that have evolved over millions of years.
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March of the Grasshopper: The biodiversity of insects such as the grasshopper (Family Acrididae) is essential to the tropical ecosystem. As herbivores, grasshoppers eat plants and return nutrients to the ecosystem. They are an important food souce for vertibrates. Within the Biosphere Reserve of Southern Ecuador there are an uncountable number of insect species. For example, in one location at our Scientific Station, over 1000 moth species alone have been counted.
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Soaring Vulture: This vulture was photographed at Nature & Culture International's Laipuna Reserve in October of 2006. It is one of the best-conserved dry forests in Southern Ecuador with 39 species of endemic birds (13 endangered), 21 species of amphibians and reptiles (two of which are possibly still unclassified), pumas, and other wildlife. A small visitor center is being constructed to allow increased scientific research and ecotourism.
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A "pandemonium" of parrots: They dance above the forests of the southwestern region of Loja province in Southern Ecuador. A flock of parrots is called a "pandemonium" because of the wild uproar and noise they make as you can see in this video (taken in 2006). The parrots live in a unique tropical forest ecosystem that is home to many endemic bird species that are endangered. |
UNITED STATES OFFICE:
Nature & Culture International
1400 Maiden Lane,
Del Mar, California 92014
Phone (858) 259-0374
nciusa@natureandculture.org
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