Copalinga Reserve is located in the Zamora Chinchipe province, in the south-eastern part of Ecuador. The Reserve has been under the management and protection of Fundacion Jocotoco since 2017. It previously belonged to a Belgium couple who decided to sell it to the conservation group to ensure the perpetual conservation of the land and its biodiversity. In fact, its proximity to the inhabited centers represents a risk due to urban and agricultural expansion.
Copalinga extends for 109 hectares, characterized by a tropical climate typical of the humid forests. In this wide area, dense levels o f biodiversity can be found: in fact, approximately 220 bird species have been recorded in only the lower part of the reserve.
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Figure 1. Black-breasted Puffbird
The Reserve is home to threatened species including the Gray Tinamou, White-necked Parakeet, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Jaguarundi and South American Coati.
Figure 2. Coppery-chested Jacamar
Amphibians are abundant too, counting 71 species of which 35 are endemic and 3 are threatened worldwide, like the Horned Marsupial Frog.
Partner - Fundación Jocotoco
Fundación Jocotoco is an Ecuadorian conservation non-governmental organization (NGO) established in 1998. It is dedicated to protecting Ecuador's most threatened habitats and species through the establishment and management of strict nature reserves, reforestation, restoration of degraded wetlands, and environmental education programs. The organization is committed to the conservation of Ecuador's biodiversity and has been successful in promoting the recovery of several endangered species. Fundación Jocotoco also owns eco-tourism lodges and a tourism company that helps finance its conservation efforts.