Newly Established Yaku Ñan Provincial Conservation Area Protects Critically Endangered Páramo Species in Cotopaxi, Ecuador

The Yaku Ñan Provincial Conservation Area spans 55,349 acres (22,399 hectares) in Cotopaxi, Ecuador and was established on September 26, 2025. Yaku Ñan in Kichwa means “Route of the water” because major rivers such as the Cutuchi, Jatunyacu, and Patate originate in these highlands.

The area encompasses high-altitude grasslands and wetlands known in Spanish as “páramos” which capture, store, and regulate the water supply for more than 240,000 people in downstream communities. The newly conserved area’s fragile biodiversity is represented by iconic wildlife such as the vulnerable Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the endangered Quito marsupial frog (Gastrotheca riobambae), and the critically endangered jambato toad (Atelopus ignescens).

Furthermore, the newly established area links two of Ecuador’s most emblematic protected areas: Cotopaxi and Llanganates National Parks and borders the Colonso-Chalupas Biological Reserve and Antisana National Park— strengthening a network of Andean-Amazonian protected lands of high ecological value.

Acknowledgments: 

The establishment of this area was made possible thanks to discussions involving the community, organizations, and local governments—specifically the Province of Cotopaxi and the municipal governments of Latacunga and Salcedo. Technical support and implementation was provided by Corporación BYOS in partnership with Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (FFLA) with financial contributions by the Andes Amazon Fund (AAF).