BiodiversityThe country of Ecuador is home to one of the richest sources of biodiversity in the world. In Ecuador alone, there are approximately 25,000 species of plants, 1,600 species of birds, 350 species of reptiles, 400 amphibians, 800 fish in the Amazon area, and over 360 species of mammals. Of these species, the Bilsa area contains more than 350 species of birds, 100 species of amphibians and reptiles, 25 species of mammals, and 1,400 plants. For this reason, Bilsa is renown for its diversity, rarity, and endemism. The Bilsa reserve is located along the coast of the northwestern region of Ecuador in the Mache Mountains of Esmeraldas.
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The region is one of the last areas of coastal wet forest in Ecuador. 80% of the Bilsa region is primary forest while the remaining 20% is secondary forest. Bilsa is a part of a larger conservation area called the Mache Chindul Ecological Reserve (REMACH). Because of the logging and oil pipelines, there has been extensive forest destruction over the last 50 years. The Bilsa reserve allows many of the species that were endangered to thrive and remain abundant in the region. Because of the different altitude-related variations in the mountainous area, Bilsa creates many microhabitats, encouraging speciation and local endemism. Some of these rare species include the long wattled umbrella bird, the giant anteater, and the mantled howler monkey.