Bufft-tailed Sicklebill Hummingbird - Ecuador

Ecuador is named for its location on the equator, an imaginary line separating the northern and southern hemispheres of the earth. Ecuador is the only country where temperature and latitude can reach zero. Cayambe, a volcano of 5,790 meters, is a mountain located on the equator featuring a permanent snow cover.

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Eutoxeres condamini - The buff-tailed sicklebill hummingbird measures 13 to 15 centimeters in length; males being slightly larger than females. It is one of the largest hummingbirds and is endemic to Southern Colombia and Northern Ecuador. The sharp downward curvature of its bill is an adaptation allowing it to feed primarily on flowers of the centropogon and heliconia genera. The buff-tailed sicklebill is a trap-line feeder. This term describes birds feeding on the same plant on a regular and timely schedule.

Walking Palm Tree - Ecuador

Socratea exorrhiza - The walking palm is a tall tree native to the rainforests of Central and South America; it can grow to heights of 25 meters. The function of the stilts growing from the bottom of the narrow trunk has been the topic of debate. One claim suggests the palm could spend out stilts, acting as levers, to right itself if the fall of a nearby tree causes it to topple over. The stilts might also keep the base of the trunk out of flood waters or allow the palm to grow on steep hillsides.

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Ecuador was part of the Inca Empire prior to the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in 1531, but archeological findings of the Valdivia community reveals the existence of a significant pre-Colombian society on Ecuador’s Santa Elena Peninsula. Dating between 3500 and 1800 BC, it was among the first American cultures to use pottery and to cultivate cotton for use in making clothing. The Valdivian people relied on fishing and farming for their basic needs, but would occasional hunt to supplement their diet.

Giant Tortoise - Galapagos Islands

The Archipélago de Colón consists of 18 main islands and three smaller islets. Located 900 kilometers west of the Ecuadorian coast, the islands are of volcanic origin and host 9 active volcanoes. The unique animals found on the islands were studied by Charles Darwin during his visit in 1835 aboard H.M.S. Beagle.

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Chelonoidis nigra - Giant tortoises existed on all continents except Australia and Antarctica, but are now restricted to the Archipiélago de Colón and Aladabra Island, an atoll in the Indian Ocean. They arrived on the Archipiélago de Colón by drifting over from South America. The distance is about 1,000 kilometers, but tortoises, although poor swimmers, are buoyant enough to survive such a long journey. Their long necks allowed them to breach the surface for air and they can live for extended periods without food or fresh water.