History of the Reserve

The Cuyabeno Wildlife Preserve is a huge reserve covering more than 600,000 hectares. The reserve contains over 1/3 of the land in Ecuador, but it is not a huge tourist destination, compared to Guayaquil or the Galapagos. The Cuyabeno Reserve was first founded in 1979 with the plan of protecting animals and indigenous peoples. However, these regulations were often ignored by oil companies, so in 1991, very strict laws were passed about the park.

Ecology and Habitat of the Area

The Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve is a large, jungle area in Ecuador. The reserve is comprised of rivers, lagoons, swamps, and forests which are flooded in the rainy season. Due to the large amount of rain the reserve gets, the water level at the reserve raises or lowers by 20 feet depending on the season. Because of the large amount of water in the Reserve, the primary form of transportation is by canoe. The Cuyabeno reserve is one of the most diverse regions of the Amazon. For example, one third of all the birds in the Amazon can be found in Cuyabeno. Also, there are many different types of mammals in the reserve, including monkeys, tapirs, and a member of the wild boar family called the Peccary. Also, Cuyabeno is home to one of the most famous and sought after animals in the Amazon, the Pink River Dolphin.

Current Exploitation/ Abuse of the Area

At this time, the most significant threat for the Cuyabeno Reserve is pressure from surrounding oil companies. For the most part, oil companies own all the land next to the Reserve. Consequently, they butt their pipes and drills right next to the border. This is a serious problem for the reserve, because even though the drilling isn’t on the reserve, its effects, such as leakage of oil or displacement of animals due to disturbances, in turn extends into the reserve and harms the flora and fauna there.

Conservation and Preservation

In the present times, due to the current policies of the Ecuadorian president, Rafael Correa, not an adequate amount of money is being supplied to sustain the park and its rangers. Due to this, the operation of the park is mainly done by the many lodges that are based in the reserve. Also, many indigenous peoples do their part in helping sustain the reserve. Despite these people’s efforts, the Cuyabeno reserve is not prospering. The Ecuadorian president has even mentioned reducing the park and selling the land to private owners, most likely oil companies.

Aboriginal Inhabitation

In Cuyabeno, there are a few native villages that have lived in the area for several centuries. These villages are usually comprised from about 100-300 residents, and are for the most part self-sufficient. Most villages consist of many elevated huts, and quite a few have moderately large plantations near them. The villages are scattered around the rivers, and a few of them are barely visible unless you are looking for them.

Effects of the Outer World onto Indigenous Inhabitants

The outer world has strongly influenced the majority of the villages. For example, there are many electronic gadgets which people use. A few cell phones can even be spotted now and then. To get power, most villages use a few solar energy powers, which are seen occasionally. Also, it is likely that outside influences taught many villagers about crops, because there arevery advanced irrigation syatems in some of the villages.