Área Protegida Privada Candelaria -

Location:

Province of Tungurahua, canton Bathrooms, parish Green River

Surrounding communities:

The Pleasure, San Pedro, New Freedom.

Area:

2731 hectares / 131.21 hectares.

Ecosystem:

Upper montane forest, montane, montane and low moor.

Altitudinal range:

1650 – 3850 masl

Endangered species:

Tremarctos ornatus (VU), Tapirus pinchaque (IN), Leopardus tigrinus, (VU), Tayassu pecari (VU), Mazama rufina (VU), Spizaetus isidori (IN), Grallaria gigantea (VU), Pristimantis puruscafeum (VU), Pristimantis loujosti (DD), Pristimantis marcoreyesi (IN), Caecilia abitaguae (IN), Phaedranassa tunguraguae (IN), Zapoteca aculeata (IN), Cedrela montana (VU).

Bookings

Carchi

Imbabura

Pastaza

Tungurahua

Description of the area

The reserve Cerro Candelaria and the Private Protected Area Candelaria (2731 ha), is part of the National System of Protected Areas (SNAP), is covered by montane forests (91%) and high (9%), and is bordered to the south by the Sangay National Park. This area has a very high rainfall and humidity, with temperatures that range between 6-15°C. Between the existing threats to the area include deforestation, hunting and illegal extraction of orchids and bromeliads.

Flora and fauna

This reserve protects many endangered and endemic species, including 23 species of large mammals such as Tapir Andino (Tapirus pinchaque, IN), the Andean Bear (Bear (Tremarctos ornatus), VU), as well as other mammals minor as the Tigrina Northern (Leopardus tigrinus, VU), White-Lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari, VU) or the Soche (Mazama rufina, VU), together with 11 species of small mammals. In Cerro Candelaria have been recorded 98 species of birds, among which are the Andean Eagle (Spizaetus isidoriIN), the Gralaria Giant (Grallaria gigantea, VU) and the Toucan Andean Pechigris (Andigena hypoglauca, NT).

This book stands out for its herpetofauna (64 species of amphibians and 26 of reptiles), and there have been numerous discoveries of amphibians, which are also restricted distribution, including Pristimantis tungurahua (IN), P. marcoreyesi (IN), P. loujosti (DD), P. bellae (IN) and P. puruscafeum (VU). In this book there are at least 15 species of threatened amphibians, including the Frog Glass Andean Buckley (Centrolene buckleyi, CR), the Cutín Noble of Naturetrek (Noblella naturetrekii, IN) and Cecilia Abitagua (Caecilia abitaguae, IN). Recently described in 2023 Pristimantis donnelsoni. Among the species of reptiles endangered are Riama balneator (IN). There are also numerous species of endemic plants and threatened as Phaedranassa tunguraguae (IN), Zapoteca aculeata (IN) and Cedrela montana (VU). This book stands out for its diversity of orchids, for here we have found more than 15 species of the genus Teagueia, as well as other plants such as Blakea attenboroughii.

How to know the Private Protected Area Candelaria?

From the canton Baños de Agua Santa, can be reached with public or private transport to the village The Pleasure, the nearest town to the Protected Area, taking the road E30 Baños de Agua Santa – The Pleasure to approximately 5 kilometers. On the basis of this small village head in a southerly direction, crossing the bridge of the Pastaza river, a path-burdened approximately 6 km

Among the activities carried out in the protected area include conservation, scientific research and support of tourism CAVE (scientific, academic, volunteer and educational), ecotourism.