CHURUTE MANGROVES ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, GUAYAQUIL 

Vegetation

Flora

The floristic composition, varies with the ecological conditions in the reserve. The the lower hills of Churute are covered with secondary forests; while in the upper hills partially original forests - though heavily intervened - may still occur. Species diversity of the latter is lower than in the previous formation. Above 300 m forests prevail.

Some 450 species of trees and plants are known to the area, including five species of mangrove and 25 species of timber trees, belonging to the families Bignoniaceae, Caesalpinaceae, Fabaceae, Mimosaceae, Lauraceae, Rhizophoraceae and Sapotaceae. Among the endemic species of the dry forest, we mention: Eriotheca ruizzi, Macranthisiphon longifolium and Picramniatum besina, the latter known only from Cerro Mas Vale, between 200 - 400 m.

Vegetation formations

8 types of vegetation formations are present in the reserve:
 

Mangroves: Within the mangroves are the following structural formations: Tall mangrove, with trees of more than 15 m and straight trunks, homogeneous crown density and open upper canopy; Mid-sized mangrove, with trees varying between 5-15 m, with homogenous canopies closed canopies; Shrub mangrove, with canopies less than 5 m. Main species are: red mangrove, mangle pava, mangle Button Mangrove and Black Mangrove. Floristically these three formations do not vary all that much. Mangroves in the Gulf of Guayaquil have  less rainfall compared to the northern mangroves, but being flooded ecosystems, this does not necessarily translate in distinct floristic and / or faunal compositions.

Red Mangrove trees dominate the mangroves.

Air  roots of Button Mangrove trees, Conocarpus erecta.

The lowland deciduous shrubland (100-300 masl): Remnants of shrubs up to 6 m high from left from original deciduous forest, dominated by thorny plants and low species diversity. The predominant species are Mimosa pigra and Cordia lutea. The common trees, Inga sp., Carob, Inga sp., Prosopis juliflora, P. pallida, Bursera graveolens and Trema micrantha, which are occasionally covered by epiphytes.

Lowland herbal marshes: Dense herbaceous (non-graminiform) plants in continuous contact with water of thelake may  reach up to 2 m in height.

In flooded areas the most important floating species are Coralolian Azolla, Water Hyacinth, Thalia genicula and Hydrocotyle ranunculoides.

Lowland semi-deciduous forest (100 - 300 masl): Patches of forest with native trees such as Tabebuia chrysantha, Triplaris cumingiana, guachapelé A. guachapele, Inga sp., Clarisia racemosa, Poulsenia armata, Spondias purpurea as well as pioneers and introduced species.

Lowland deciduous forest (50 - 200 masl): Located in the foot hills of Cerros Mas Vale, Cimalón, Perequeté Mate and Pancho Diablo. The rest of the vegetation iconsists of secondary forest in different stages of transition, caused by human intervention and deforestation. The dominant species are, Cochlospermum vitifolium, Triplaris guayaquilensis, T. cumingiana, Guazuma ulmifolia, Cordia alliodora and Muntingia calabura. In certain places the area is invaded by grasses, cyperaceas.

The Golden Trumpet tree, Tabebuia Chrysanta, covers the lowland hills in a golden robe.

Premontane semi-deciduous forest (100-300 masl): occurs between the moist (foggy) forests of the mountains and the dry lowland deciduous forests. Develops on inaccessible steep stony soils, which have been less disturbed. Trees are scattered and the undergrowth very dense, indicating a high degree of deforestation. The canopy may reach up to 15 m. soils are semi-dry soils and species include: Terminalia oblonga,  Zanthoxilon sp., Cissampelos pererira, Ceibo (another species from those found to the north, Bombax millei), Cynometra sp.,

Golden Trumpet Tree, Tabebuia chrysantha, etc.

Premontane Evergreen Forest (300 - 450 masl): Located on steep slopes with trees over 25 m high. Soils are humid with species like Carica erythrocarpa, Acalypha sp., Alchornea sp., Croton sp., Hyeronima, Phytelephas aequatorialis and ferns of the families Aspleniaceae, Cyatheaceae, Adianthaceae, Thelipteridaceae Polipodiaceae, etc.

Premontane semi-deciduous forest (450-700 masl): It is occurs near the top of the Cimalón, Pancho Diablo and Mas Vale mountains. Trees are higher than 20 m, covered by mosses and bromeliad epiphytes. Soils are moist because of the influence of fog known as garua, often present during day time. Possibly due to human intervention in the area, this formation has the same species as the previous lower formation, like the Royal or Chivila Palm, Attalea colenda, and epiphytes like, Guzmania wittamacki and Espacia psitticina.

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Mammals

Some 45 species of mammals have been reported, of which:
The Coastal Howler Monkeys, Alouatta palliata, often seen along the western flank of Cerro Cimalón and in the northern sectors of the hills Mas Vale and Pancho Diablo. This species is the largest primate of the Pacific Coast. It is severely threatened by hunting and deforestation. There are also White-fronted Capuchin Monkeys, Cebus albifrons, still present in both the hills and the mangroves.

It has also been recorded: Crab-eating Raccoons, Procyon cancrivorus, Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth, Choloepus hoffmanni, Guayaquil Squirrel, Sciurus stramineus, and occasionally Bottlenose Dolphins can be seen in the canals of the estuary.

Some important bats are: Molossops aequatorianus, Amorphochilus schnablii, Lonchophylla hesperia, Eptesicus innoxius.

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Birds

Bird diversity  in mangroves is not as high as in tropical forests, but the species composition of the is totally different, and birdwatchers who like to have a representative list of tropical birds of South America or Ecuador, need to spend some time in a mangrove. A great advantage of mangroves is that many of the birds are relatively numerous and large. A trip to a mangrove can easily add some 50 species to a visitor for the first time in the tropics.

More than 300 species are known from the reserve, of which 27 are endemic to the coast. In the wetland part of the reserve occur migratory shore birds from both the North and the South, as well as resident species like: Phalacrocorax olivaceus, Ardea cocoi, Egretta alba, Egretta caerulea, Nyctanassa violacea, Eudocimus albus, Pandion haliaetus, Aramus guarauna y Gallinula chloropus.

Conspicuous birds in the Churute mountain range are the Horned Screamer, Anhima cornuta, the Rufous-headed chachalaca, Ortalis erythroptera and the Red-masked Parakeet, Aratinga erythrogenys, Pale-browed Tinamou, Crypturellus transfasciatus.

Northern migratory birds are occur in greatest numbers in March - April and late October - November.

Brown Pelicans, Pelecanus occidentalis, are common along the entire Pacific coast.

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Other Critters

The Churute Mangroves Ecological Reserve is one of the few areas that protects dry forest, unique in the world, along the Ecuadorian coast. Although there have not been any herpetofauna studies in the reserve, the area is known to protect important threatened amphibians such as: Ceratophrys stolzmanni,  Trachycephalus jordani, Hyloscirtus alytolylax, Leptodactylus labrosus, Hyloxalus infraguttatus, Engystomops randi, E. pustulatus , Phrynohyas venulosa, Smilisca phaeota. In addition, a new species has discovered: Physalaemus guayaco sp. nov. In the lowlands (32 - 92 masl) of Cerro Mas Vale.

The most impressive species is the crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, but during the day, sightings  are infrequent. The most common lizzards are the Green Iguana, iguana iguana, the common lizzard, Anolis sp. and the Iridescent Iguana, Stenosercus iridescens. On trails through the forest you may see the Ameiva Lizard, Ameiva edracantha) and the Black-and-white Worm Lizard, Amphisbaena fuliginosa. The Common Snapping Turtle, Chelidra serpentina, lives in El Canclón Lake. Snakes are represented by the Pit Viper, Bothrops asper, the Yellow Rat Snake, Spilotes pullatus, and the Boa, Boa constrictor imperator.

The most common estuarine invertebrates are: red crab, Ucides occidentalis, oysters, Cassostrea columbiensis, and mussels, Mytella guayanensis. The local population collects the crabs for sale, mainly in Guayaquil.

Several species of crabs live in the mangrove, such as Mangrove Root Crab, Goniopsis cruentata, Mangrove Tree Crab, Aratus pisonii, and the very popular Red Crab, Ucides occidentalis, the latter harvested by local fishermen for consumption.

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Getting there

Main access to Churute Mangroves Ecological Reserve,

Guayaquil is by the highway Guayaquil - Machala: turn off at Km 49. From there you can get there by two roads: the Guayaquil - Boliche road or the Duran - Tambo road.

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Best tours

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CHURUTE MANGROVES ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, GUAYAQUIL