Ecuador Bound » Ecuador Facts

Ecuador’s Condors – A Dying Species?

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 01:32:47 +0000

The Condor (Vultur gryphus) is the Ecuador’s national symbol, much like the Eagle in the US. Their numbers are quite small compared to the Eagle’s population. There are only 30 Andean Condors left in Ecuador and one active pair who only lay one egg every 2 years, (Augui & Causay), who reside in Quito’s zoo. Not very good odds for their return.

In Ecuador and Chile Condor means “gold coin”. And the Incas of Peru thought the Condor flew the sun into they sky every morning. They thought it was a messenger to the gods.

These birds are seen as a symbol of power and health. Unfortunately, the native villagers think that their bones and organs have special healing powers or that they give males high virility. Their ground bones are believed to alleviate rheumatism. Many natives eat the stomach of the Andean Condor because they believe it cures breast cancer. The eyes of the Condor are often roasted and eaten to sharpen one’s sight, and their feathers are often placed under sleeping blankets to ward off nightmares.

Reproduction of the Andean Condor

The male begins his courtship display by drawing himself erect, fully extending his wings, and clicking his tongue, while the reddish skin of his neck becomes bright yellow. The birds do not build a nest, but lay their eggs on bare ground on a ledge or in a cave. The female lays a single egg which both parents incubate for about 54 to 58 days. Fledging takes another 180 days, so that a pair breeds onlyevery other year under normal conditions. Parents continue to care for the fledgling for a full year.

Ecuador’s Four Unique Worlds

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:00:38 +0000

Amazingly, Ecuador is not a very big area when compared to the entire United States

The entire country of Ecuador is around the size of the State of Nevada or Arizona. It is approximately 285,000 sq. kilometers or 177,091 miles and is home to close to 14 million people. Within these minuscule miles, or should I say kilometers as Ecuador is on the metric scale, there is diversity like nowhere else. Ecuador is home to the world’s longest mountain range and the world’s biggest and most impenetrable jungle, the Amazon.

Ecuador is home to the largest diversity of animals and plants per sq. kilometer in the world. It is proudly 3rd in the world for it’s variety of amphibians, and 5th for it’s butterflies. To give you an idea of how many species this is, it includes more than 25,000 plant species (10% of the world total) and 1,600 types of birds. It also has more varieties of mammals per sq. meter than any other country on Earth!

New species are being found all the time in Ecuador from both the plant and animal kingdoms. I have shown but a few recent additions to Ecuador’s menagerie of species below:

The country is divided into four unique worlds. They are:

The Pacific Coast (La Costa)
The Andes or Sierra (La Sierrra)
The Amazon Rainforest or El Oriente (Amazonia) and
The Galapagos Islands (Galapagos)

The first three areas above divide the mainland into three distinct regions. These regions pretty much divide the country in parallel strips. The westernmost portion of Ecuador is The Pacific Coast where the beaches are for the most part pristine and inviting. The center region, The Sierra, lies within the eastern and western chains of the Andes and adorned by close to 30 volcanoes. To the east lies El Oriente which is sparsely populated and contains only about 3% of the population. For the most part this region is a dense tropical rainforest and home to many indigenous groups.

The last region above is not on the mainland. It is the famous Galapagos Islands which of course is famous for it’s humongous ancient tortoises which live approximately 150 years, among many other species of colorful wildlife. These islands are located almost 620 miles from the Ecuadorian coast and are visited regularly by millions. It has 13 main islands and dozens of islets and minor volcanic islands. The Galapagos Islands are the only place on earth where animals, like birds and reptiles, show total lack of fear to humans.

These four divisions are quite different from one another in many ways. Some have regarded Ecuador to be a microcosm of South America itself. The fact that Ecuador is not very big but so diverse is quite a blessing. You don’t have to travel far to experience something totally different. Yet another huge advantage is Ecuador’s weather, meaning that due to the lack of extremes (either hot or cold) you can pretty much travel all year round.

I will attempt to outline each of these diverse contrasting areas giving each at least one page apiece. From time to time, as my knowledge of Ecuador progresses, I will write posts about the new things I have learned, and eventually, have seen firsthand.

Car rentals available in Ecuador (I checked each one)
or anywhere else for that matter.

Ecuador – Just Stating the Facts

admin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:56:09 +0000

Ecuador Flag

TIME ZONE: GMT minus 5 hours on mainland Ecuador and GMT minus 6 hours in the Galapagos Islands. Daylight Savings Time is not used in Ecuador.

COUNTRY CALLING CODE: +593 + city code.

LANGUAGE: The main language spoken is Spanish, followed by Quechua and then 20 or so other indiginous variations.

REGIONS: Ecuador is basically divided into four unique regions. They are called different names depending on who you are talking to. They are:

The Pacific Coast (La Costa)
The Andes or Sierra (La Sierrra)
The Amazon Rainforest or El Oriente (Amazonia) and
The Galapagos Islands (Galapagos)

RELIGION: Ecuador Religion can be defined as a secular in nature because the country of Ecuador practices freedom of worship, as mandated by The Ecuadorian Constitution of 1998. The dominant religion in Ecuador is Catholic. During the many festivals in Ecuador the indiginous people also parade their religions alongside of the Catholic traditions.

MONEY: The official money used in Ecuador is the American Dollar (USD). The bills are the same as those used in the United States but the coins are printed in Ecuador with the images of historical personalities in Ecuador. They are the same in size, weight, etc. but they are only valid within the territory of Ecuador.

Additionally, Ecuador, at the time of dollarization, issued centavo coins. These coins are issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 and $1. These are equal in value to the U.S. coins. The $1 centavo coin is commonly used.

ATM’s are found in most towns and cities and in some remote areas as well. Just be sure you pay attention to the logos on the ATM terminal to check which companies service it such as Pulse ATM or Cirrus ATM. This is common in the States. Also, for added protection please note that the safest ATM’s are those that are found inside shopping centers and in front of actual banks themselves.

Credit and debit cards are used heavily, with some surcharge, and Traveler’s Checks are accepted at the banks for a surcharge as well.

If you are going to do a bank transfer note that it takes at least 3 working days.

WEATHER: The weather and climate of Ecuador depends on where you are. As a general rule: The climate is tropical along the Pacific Coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations such as in The Sierra; and back to tropical in the Amazonian jungle lowlands (Oriente).

I have included a weather widget for each of the 3 largest cities for your convience:

Forecast for Cuenca

Forecast for Guayaquil

Forecast for Quito

TAXES: 12% VAT and 10% service in most hotels and restaurants. Be sure to ask if this tax is already included in the bill, most are, but some are not.

ELECTRIC CURRENT: 110/AC. So bring along your small electric appliances like shavers and hair dryers. NOTE: It is good to bring, or buy, a 3-pronged adapter as some of the outlets are the old style and don’t accomodate the newer 3-pronged connectors.

HEALTH RISKS: No vaccinations are needed to enter Ecuador. As with any tropical country around the world there is a risk of malaria, as in certain areas of the Amazon and the Coast. Discuss these issues with your local Dr. or Health Department.

EXPORT PRODUCTS: Oil, bananas, shrimp, fish, flowers, coffee, wooden products, etc.

YOUR SAFETY: The safest way to carry money is a money belt worn under clothing. As in most touristy locals, pickpockets can spot a traveler a mile away. Also keep spare cash in a separate purse or wallet for easy access. This actually helps out in the event you do get pickpocketed, as the theif will NOT get all your money and won’t suspect he hasn’t gotten it!

Remember to leave your documents and valuables in a safety deposit box in your hotel (most hotels will accomodate this need). You just need to carry the copy of your passport. I have heard make sure the copies are in color (never leave without at least that).

Unfortunately, a general rule of thumb is don’t take busses and chances at night. After 6 p.m. it’s best to call a taxi from the hotel or restaurant for evening visits to the city or going out for dinner. Avoid walking the streets after dark also, unless you are not in the city and have the go ahead from people who know the area.