Sumaco Volcano Biodiversity Survey
We are launching the first standardized multi-taxa biodiversity survey along Sumaco Volcano’s elevational gradient (1,400–3,800 m). This work spans both the Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary and Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, two key conservation areas in eastern Ecuador.
In collaboration with local guides and park rangers, our goal is to document endemic and threatened species, understand how animal communities change across elevation, and generate essential baseline data to monitor climate-change impacts on wildlife.
Over the coming months, we will survey medium and large mammals, amphibians and reptiles, multiple insect groups, and investigate trends in both soundscape and climate across Sumaco Volcano’s southern slope.
Support This Project
Your contribution helps us secure:
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Camera traps
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Materials to build Winkler extractors and Berlese funnels
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Acoustic recorders
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Components for additional environmental data loggers
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Project communication equipment
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National park entry fees
Scientific Collaborators
This project is carried out in collaboration with researchers from:
Francis Marion University, University of North Carolina–Wilmington, Clemson University, Jacksonville University, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, the Jambatu Foundation, and Ecuador's National Institute of Biodiversity (INABIO).