Biodiversity

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Biodiversity

Extremely important biodiversity

Cloud Forest

The northern Andes have some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world, and especially many species with a small distribution*. But biodiversity is under threat. Until 60-100 years ago, the entire area was covered in cloud forest, but now the mountainsides have been cleared to make way for dairy and beef cattle. By restoring the cloud forest, we are not only restoring animal habitats and protecting biodiversity, we are also helping to prevent soil erosion and safeguard the vital water resources created by the native vegetation that supply millions of people downstream. Our ambition is also to create corridors connecting pockets of forest to the cloud forest.

Fauna and flora

Mountain tapir, puma, oncilla (‘tigrillo’), spectacled bear, little red brocket deer and many other mammals and birds inhabit the cloud forest ecosystem of the nature reserve. There is a large population of mountain tapir and we see tracks daily and see the animals regularly. What makes the reserve extraordinary is that it is the only place in the world where you can easily see the Indigo-winged parrot (Hapalopsittica fuertesi). There are many other bird species with a small distribution, including many species of antpitta. Cloud forest is characterised by a high abundance of epiphytes and parasitic plants. This is a relatively unexplored area which our botanical team will soon start exploring.

Páramo vegetation

Above the cloud forest we find the Páramo. The páramo in this region begins at around 3600 meters and is famously known for its “Frailejones”. The area Romeral that is part of WCA and includes large tracts of páramo has had cattle for decades and is currently in a recovering fase. Camara traps have revealed both spectacled bears and mountain tapir as well as puma.
The páramo is unique and is not only threatened by cattle, but also by fires and climate change meaning, that forests is probably reaching further up the mountain making the belt of páramo even smaller.