Chimborazo Fauna Production Reserve

General Information

• Area: 145.000 acres (58.560 ha)
• Date of Creation: October 26, 1987
• Altitude: 12.467 — 20.703 ft (3.800 — 6.310 m)

The Chimborazo is the highest peak of Ecuador, and beside it lies the smaller Carihuairazo volcano. Both are surrounded by a paramo life zone that is teeming with fauna, the reason why the reserve was established as refuge for the reproduction of all kinds of mountainous animals. Although part of the reserve still has paramo vegetation, a large portion is a desert-like plain caused by the fall of volcanic material and by the shepherding activities of nearby communities.

Flora and Fauna

Among chuquiraguas and romerillo, quishuar and pumaqui trees, live mammals like paramo wolves, paramo deer and rabbits. Through specific projects carried out in the reserve, the population of wild llamas has been recovered. Occasionally one is able to see the Andean condor and the hummingbird known as Ecuadorian star. The curiquingue or caracara is abundant, and is a symbol of fortune to nearby indigenous communities. Sparrows and blackbird are common too.

Tourism

There are two entrances to the reserve along the Pan-American highway, south of Quito, that eventually join on the foot of Chimborazo. One is the detour for Guaranda in the city of Ambato, the other is the more commonly used road after Riobamba that specifically tours the reserve. The extinct Chimborazo volcano is the greatest attraction, as Ecuador’s highest peak. There are two refuges, one at 15.750 ft where one can arrive by car, and another at 16.400 ft where one can spend the night. The longest trail that tours the paramo goes around Chimborazo and takes two days.