Authors

Ryan Haddad

Class Year

2012

Document Type

Feature

Publication Date

2012

Abstract

Dubbed the “cradle of the Amazon,” and covering more than 2.4 million acres in the Amazon River Basin, Ecuador’s Yasuní National Forest is perhaps the most biodiverse place on Earth. Almost 200 species of mammal, 560 fish species, 300 reptile and amphibian species and close to 600 different types of birds can be found within the parks parameters. In just 2.5 acres of the park can be found as many tree species as in the U.S. and Canada combined. In addition to its ecological diversity, Yasuní supports several tribes of indigenous people, which remain voluntarily isolated in the forest. In 1989, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (“UNESCO”) designated Yasuní Forest as a Biosphere Reserve.

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