Reserva Forestal Apayacu

Workshop photo today in the reserve.

Juvenile Bothrops bilineata smaragdina found in the secondary forest. This venomous species can be abundant in certain places, but generaly, due to the alteration of the forest by human activities, they can be challenging to find .

Photo by Axel Marchelie

Female blue crowned manakin (Lepidothrix coronata) .

Little bird commonly see in the reserve .

Marmosa sp , mouse oppossum .

This little marsupials are roaming the reserve every nights. There is a lot of different species of mouse oppossum, in Apayacu you can ssaw 3 of them ( at least) . They hunt insects, they particulary like spiders, but they can eat lizards, snakes and other very little vertebrates .

Ameerega bilinguis . Poison dart frog .

Those little frogs where very comon few years ago, everywhere. Now, sadly, they are more difficult to find but, still the most common dendrobate species of the Ecuador Amazon.

Cruziohyla craspedopus . One of the rarest .

We are actualy investigating the breeding behavior of this species inside the reserve. Recently we found few spots where she reproduce not far from the lodge.

Ninia hudsoni .

This little fossorial snake is difficult to find , this one was hunting prey item on the ground after a rain.

One of the rarest: Tepuihyla tuberculosa . Owl frog.

We can find this species along the trails of the hills. Generaly we ear them calling from the top of the trees of the primary forest, but sometimes, with a lot of luck, a specimen can be found in the low level vegetation. Why they go down the trees is still unknow.

A new species for the inventory of the reserve : Arthrosaurus reticulata .

A little diurnal lizard who occur along the streams of the reserve. When he is disturbed, he tend to escape underwater .

New reptiles we encounter in the reserve in 2022.

Micrurus surinamensis.

This week, during a guided outing, we found this aquatic coral snake for the first time in the reserve. This species is not uncommon in the region and its venom is one of the most powerful among the venomous land snakes. However, it is only responsible for a small percentage of recorded bites due to its general docility and its nocturnal and aquatic lifestyle.

Esta semana, durante una excursión guiada, encontramos esta coral por primera vez en la reserva. Esta especie no es infrecuente en la región y su veneno es uno de los más poderosos entre las serpientes terrestres venenosas. Sin embargo, solo es responsable de un pequeño porcentaje de picaduras registradas debido a su docilidad general y su estilo de vida nocturno y acuático.

©Axel Marchelie

Tepuihyla tuberculosa . Owl frog . Rana buho .

One of the rarest frogs in Ecuador. Very arboreal, we can hear its song coming from the treetops, always emitted by an isolated specimen. Locals believe its song comes from the bushmaster, the Lachesis muta, hunters avoid areas where this frog is present for fear of being attacked by the world's largest viper.

Una de las ranas más raras de Ecuador. Muy arbóreo, podemos escuchar su canto proveniente de las copas de los árboles, siempre emitido por un ejemplar aislado. Los lugareños creen que su canto proviene de la verrugosa, el Lachesis muta. Los cazadores evitan las áreas donde esta rana está presente por temor a ser atacados por la víbora más grande del mundo.

©Axel Marchelie

Callimedusa tomopterna .

This frog is relatively common around temporary ponds when it is breeding. Outside of its periods of reproductive activity, it is difficult to observe. This species is solitary, arboreal and very well camouflaged in dense vegetation.

Esta rana es relativamente común en estanques temporales cuando se reproduce. Fuera de sus períodos de actividad reproductiva, es difícil de observar. Esta especie es solitaria, arbórea y muy bien camuflada en una densa vegetación.

©Axel Marchelie

Ranitomeya ventrimaculata
Classic but endangered, mainly by deforestation and contamination. They are not easy to find but we have a good population of them in the higher part of the reserve. Do not hesitate to ask if you would like to see them in situ.

Clásico pero en peligro, principalmente por deforestación y contaminación. No son fáciles de encontrar pero tenemos una buena población de ellos en la parte alta de la reserva. No dudes en preguntar si te gustaría verlos in situ.

©Andrés Mauricio Forero-Cano