Contents This brochure offers a panoramic view of the biological and cultural diversity of Cajas National Park (CNP), as well as practical information for the visitor: a geographic and a tourist map, sites you do not want to miss, outstanding tourist activities, some useful recommendations for your trip, and a directory of services. 2 Map of Ecuador’s Natural Heritage Sites (PANE) 4 Cajas National Park An isolated massif dotted with lagoons 8 Geographic map of the National Park 10 Faces and traces The shortest route between the Andes and the sea 14 Tourist map 16 Not to be missed 20 Things to do 24 Getting there 26 Directory Mosses (Breutelia integrifolia) and this Asteraceae plant 28 List of outstanding wildlife species (Hypochaeris sp.) associate with each other to better use scarce resources and gain protection from the harsh climate of the páramo. b GALÁPAGOS 1 GALÁPAGOS NATIONAL PARK GALÁPAGOS MARINE RESERVE 2 16 PACIFIC COAST 2 18 3 GALERA SAN FRANCISCO MARINE RESERVE 17 Colombia Esmeraldas 4 MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK 5 MANGLARES CHURUTE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE 1 26 6 MACHE CHINDUL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE Pto. Baquerizo 3 Moreno 20 Tulcán 7 25 SANTA CLARA ISLAND WILDLIFE REFUGE 8 8 MUISNE RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE 6 9 EL SALADO MANGROVES FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE Ibarra 44 10 SANTA ELENA PENINSULA MARINE FAUNA WILDLIFE REFUGE 11 EL MORRO MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE 27 Nueva Loja 0o 12 PACOCHE WILDLIFE REFUGE 13 PARQUE LAGO NATIONAL RECREATION AREA 39 40 14 ARENILLAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE Quito 15 ISLAS CORAZÓN Y FRAGATAS WILDLIFE REFUGE 28 41 16 CAYAPAS MATAJE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE Sto. Domingo 45 17 ESMERALDAS RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE N Francisco 15 24 30 de Orellana 18 LA CHIQUITA WILDLIFE REFUGE 31 29 OE 19 ISLA SANTAY AND ISLA DEL GALLO NATIONAL RECREATION AREA 20 PAMBILAR WILDLIFE RESERVE S 21 LOS SAMANES NATIONAL RECREATION AREA Latacunga Tena 12 Portoviejo 22 PLAYAS DE VILLAMIL NATIONAL RECREATION AREA 37 42 23 EL PELADO MARINE RESERVE Ambato COAST - ANDES 32 24 LOS ILINIZAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE 4 Puyo 25 COTACACHI CAYAPAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE Guaranda Riobamba ANDES 38 26 EL ÁNGEL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE 23 Babahoyo 21 27 PULULAHUA GEOBOTANICAL RESERVE 10 28 PASOCHOA WILDLIFE RESERVE 13 19 29 ANTISANA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE Santa Elena 9 Guayaquil 30 EL BOLICHE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA 31 11 COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK 5 Macas Perú 32 CHIMBORAZO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE 22 33 CAJAS NATIONAL PARK 34 YACURI NATIONAL PARK 33 Azogues 35 QUIMSACOCHA NATIONAL RECREATION AREA Pacific Ocean 35 ANDES - AMAZON 7 Cuenca 36 PODOCARPUS NATIONAL PARK Machala 37 LLANGANATES NATIONAL PARK 47 38 SANGAY NATIONAL PARK 14 46 39 CAYAMBE COCA NATIONAL PARK MAP of AMAZON 43 40 CUYABENO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE NATURAL HERITAGE SITES 41 LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE Loja Zamora 42 YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK Patrimonio de Áreas Naturales del Estado, PANE 36 43 EL ZARZA WILDLIFE REFUGE 44 COFÁN BERMEJO ECOLOGICAL RESERVE 45 SUMACO NAPO-GALERAS NATIONAL PARK 46 EL CÓNDOR BIOLOGICAL RESERVE 34 48 100 km 47 EL QUIMI BIOLOGICAL RESERVE 48 CERRO PLATEADO BIOLOGICAL RESERVE 3 CAJAS ike the shards of a broken mirror on CAJAS IN BRIEF and temperatures, but milder winds. This NATIONAL a green rug, Cajas National Park and climate favors the formation of new species. Location: Cuenca county (Azuay) PARK its 786 bodies of water are located In this rugged environment, the resistant on a massif of the western Andes in Area: 28,544 hectares paper tree creates a microclimate in which L Altitude range: 3,150 to 4,445 masl Ecuador’s southern province of Azuay. These unique plant and animal species take refuge, lagoons are connected by small streams. Temperature range: -2 to 18 °C including the so-called quinua bird (Giant Some drain into the Pacific and others into Nearby settlements: Cuenca Conebill). the basin of the Paute River, which drains Established in: 1977 In the Llaviucu valley, at a lower altitude into the Atlantic by way of the Amazon River. Additional distinctions: RAMSAR site (2002), and to the east of the Park, there is also one There are a number of versions about IBA EC063 (2008) of the few remnants of inter-Andean forest the name of the Park, Cajas. Some say it found in the Ecuadorean Andes. In spite of comes from the Kichwa kahas, which means located in the Park. The lack of connection its reduced surface, this exuberant forest is mountain or cordillera. Others say it refers with other highlands ecosystems created home to an impressive diversity of life. An isolated to the irregular landscape of rocky valleys an important center for speciation, that is, The strategic combination of location (on and lagoons, like pools of water “boxed in for the evolution of new species. The Park is the Paute-Girón frontier) and isolation make massif dotted by mountains” (caja is Spanish for box). In located on the edge of what scientists call Cajas a veritable factory of unique species. any event, the author of this peculiar natu- the “Paute-Girón biogeograpical frontier.” The Park protects 71 species of plants found with lagoons ral scenery is ice. This area of the cordillera This frontier marks the transition between only in Ecuador and 16 of which are found was cut by the passage of ancient glaciers, the Northern Andes and the Central, lower only in this protected area. Cajas is also fa- slow but implacable. By the end of the ice ones. The species south of this line are dif- mous among bird lovers because here you age, around ten thousand years ago, the ferent from those of the Andes to the north. páramo, an ecosystem characteristic of cold The páramo, a spongy tapestry covering the Around 10 thousand years ago, the last The 786 lagoons in the Park cover tropical highlands, invaded this area, today Park, includes patches of intricate paper- ice age came to an end and the glaciers occupying 90% of the Park’s surface. tree forests, locally known as queñual or 1,199 hectares. Luspa, with a surface began to retreat. In the process, they When the glaciers retreated, they left quinua (though they have nothing do to with area of 77 hectares, is the largest. sculpted the Cajas massif, separating it deep cuts in the Andean cordillera, forming a the nutritious grain). The páramos here, in Cajas provides water to the city of from the rest of the Andes and giving it massif with the Cajas River to the north and the south of the country, begin at lower al- Cuenca, the third-largest in the country, its current, unique visage. the Jubones to the south, whose peaks are titudes and experience higher precipitation and to the Paute hydroelectric dam. La Toreadora Lagoon (3,900 masl). It takes about one hour to walk all the way around it. 4 5 La Virgen del Cajas, near the Park. Due to the abundance of aquatic habitats, the Park is an authentic paradise for amphibians. Fully 88% of those living in the Park are not found elsewhere, including the last highland jambatos, survivors of a group of frogs once very common in the country and now mostly extinct. can see threatened species, such as the Xenodacnis and the Violet-throated Metaltail, a hummingbird found only in the Park. These facts demonstrate the Park’s importance as a refuge for unique species threatened with extinction, as well as an incredible water reserve. For this reason, Cajas has been declared a RAMSAR Wetland of International Importance and a BirdLife Important Bird Area (IBA). Together, these natural elements –water, geography, living beings, and climate– are key to the enchantment that characterizes this nature park in the south of the country. The plant paposa grows in cushion- like “almohdillas” to withstand frosts. Biodiversity and endemism in CNP* CNP % of Ecuador / no. % of no. of species endemism of species national total Flora 500 14.20 15,306 3.27 Mammals 43 18.70 380 11.31 Birds 150 9.33 1,616 9.28 Amphibians 17 88.23 464 3.66 Reptiles 4 25.00 416 0.96 Ecosystems: Páramo, High Andean Forest * These figures are, of necessity, estimates and subject to change. Sources: Arbeláez and Vega, Cajas is the Mecca for the 2008; Jade 2007; Sánchez and Carbone, 2005; Tinoco and Astudillo, 2005; Ulloa et al., 2005. best rock climbers in the 6 country. 7 79°20'0"W 79°10'0"W PROVINCE OF CAÑAR N M i g San José de Huigra O E ü i r San Luis S Peak L. Totoras PROVINCE Tres Cruces city Peak L. Toreadoras OF AZUAY village ilda L. Patoquinuas Hu Panam. Highway L. Illincocha Avilahuayco main road Huagrauma Peak C access u secondary road Santa María l e a b river L. Larga r p i s l l province limit u a L L. Cucheros Quinuas s Park limit Migüir B access summit u r i n Elevation e s V a L. Luspa l le y Río Blanco M a ta L. Las Chorreras L. Osohuaycu d L. Mamámag o L. Llaviucu e r Taitachungo o L 2°50'0"S L. Sunincocha lav CAJAS 2°50'0"S To Guayaquil iuc u Valley NATIONAL PARK MAP Surocucho L. Lagartococha Sources: ETI, 2011; Jarvis, 2008; MAE, 2011 access Credits: S. Crespo, P. Cabrera, X. Cordovez Ecuador Terra Incognita M n a zá Jerez Creek zá a n M Valley Sayausí To Molleturo S o l Cuenca d San Joaquín a d o s Angas Baños Narancay ay Sayán nc ra Chauchayacu Creek a N Soldados To Loja s Mina r y ca 0 2 4 6 8 km Shu Sunsún 79°20'0"W 79°10'0"W One possible explanation for the name Cajas (Spanish for “boxes”) may refer to the Faces and many lagoons “boxed in” the Andean nooks.