Ecuador is considered one of the 17 countries where the majority is concentrated biodiversity on the planet. Its wide range of climates in the four regions has given rise to thousands of species of flora and fauna in the midst of vast natural territories, many of which are protected by the State. In his small size of land can be found in tropical rain forests, jungles, mountains, islands, moors, deserts, valleys and snowy. One of its main attractions is the Galapagos Archipelago and its marine reserve, which are endemic species unique on the planet.
Plants
Ecuador has 10 percent of all plant species on this planet. Of this figure, as much grows in the Andes, in the north-west, where it is estimated that there are approximately 10 thousand species. In the Amazon, there is also a high number of plant species, around 8,200, for example, just 2,725 orchid species have been identified. In Galapagos, on the other hand, there are nearly 600 native species and 250 introduced by man, approximately. Of the twelve key biodiversity areas identified by the naturalist Norman Myers, three are in mainland Ecuador. The climatic diversity has led to more than 25 thousand species of trees.
Animals
Ecuador has also with 8 percent of animal species and 18 percent of birds on the planet. Nearly 3,800 species of vertebrates have been identified, as well as 1,550 of mammals, 350 reptiles, 375 amphibians, 800 species of freshwater fish and 450 saltwater. Similarly, accounts for about 15 percent of the total number of endemic species of birds in the world, who live in the Andes, the coast and the Amazon region, mostly. The insect species exceed one million, and the butterflies arrive at 4,500, among others.
Ecosystem
The ecosystems that exist in the country ranging from sea level to about 6,400 meters high. It has a total area of 14,583,227 hectares. Both in the Sierra, as in the coast and the Amazon. There are 46 ecosystems that make up moors, forests, valleys and the Pacific Ocean, located in different climatic floors.
One of the richest ecosystems in biodiversity is the tropical rain forest with large trees and many different species, and an infinite number of plants, flowers, mammals, reptiles, birds, invertebrates, fish and amphibians.
National Parks and Reserve Areas
10 national parks, 14 nature reserves, a haven for wildlife and recreation area, are regarded as natural heritage sites and protected by the State. Its extension is approximately 4,669,871 hectares of land and sea area of 14,110,000 distributed in the four regions. Biodiversity is the main asset of these areas, though there are different populations both in the urban sector, as in the rural and indigenous peasants.