Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve

Manglares Churute the country’s largest area of protected mangroves at 55,912 hectare.

Declared an internationally recognized RAMSAR wetland site in 1990, the Reserve boasts a remarkable 5 types of mangroves, 450 plants species, 45 species of mammals, and almost 300 bird species birds.

This treasure trove of biodiversity is a wildlife watchers paradise! Naturalists guide visitors through the estuaries by boat exploring the reserve, one of Ecuador’s best-kept secrets.

The reserve is less than one hour’s drive from Guayaquil’s center city, and offers a distinctly varied cultural and natural experience from that found in the Galapagos  islands.

Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve

• Administrative region: Guayas
• Coordinates: 02˚29' S79˚43'O
• Area: 55,912 ha
• Altitude: 20-800 meters above sea level

The Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve is found on the gulf of Guayaquil, 45 minutes southwest of the city on the way to Boliche Puerto Inca.

The Reserve is comprised of the hills of Churute, Canclón lagoon, and one of the few remaining mangroves in the gulf. The hills are characterized by the constant presence of fog.

This area possesses a great potential for scientific and touristic interests. The reserve contains the estuary of the Gulf of Guayaquil and the Baja del Guayas basin; it preserves great biodiversity and the fragile ecological processes of the region. Manglares Churute is the only space under national protection that includes continental coastal mangroves, swampy estuaries, remaining dry forest, as well as tropical rainforest, and its own body of water, the Canclón lagoon.

During the rainy season (January-April), the precipitation reaches an average of 800 mm; while in the dry season there is no significant precipitation at all. The Reserve forms part of the interior estuary of the Guayaquil gulf, where the salt water from the ocean and the fresh water from the Taura, Churute, Cañar, and Naranjal rivers mix. The contribution of sediments to the ocean currents has formed extensive canals and islands. This Reserve also contains a portion of continental highlands and wetlands and encloses an infinite number of lagoons and estuaries.

Out of the 56,000 hectares that make up the reserve, 41,000 belong to the mangrove, 9,000 comprise the Canclón lagoon, and the remaining 6,000 make up the Churute hills. Inside the reserve, there are settlements that dedicate themselves to agricultural activities and raising livestock.