The Compass: Ecuador

Blanketed by lush tropical forests and home to one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife sanctuaries, Ecuador is a small country that packs a punch when it comes to natural beauty, biodiversity, and indigenous heritage.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌    ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  

 

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Your navigation into the weekend Ecuador

The Compass is a source of inspiration and a reminder of the beautiful global community we share. Right now, it might be hard to see the beauty amongst the unsettling and heartbreaking issues that we are facing. We continue to publish The Compass to give release, if only for a moment, and to remind ourselves that there is beauty in this world. Even if it’s hard to see right now. Blanketed by lush tropical forests and home to one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife sanctuaries, Ecuador is a small country that packs a punch when it comes to natural beauty, biodiversity, and indigenous heritage. The Galápagos Islands, Charles Darwin’s 'living laboratory,' are home to animals and plants found nowhere else on Earth. Join us as we explore how an ‘extinct’ tortoise was rediscovered after a century, see how indigenous peoples are defending Earth's biodiversity, and learn about the sweet history of chocolate. Let’s explore Ecuador.

ANIMALS

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUCAS BUSTAMANTE New leaf-toed geckos found living on remote volcano A major effort to identify every reptile in the Galápagos has revealed three new species—and one is likely already endangered. READ MORE SHARE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK DIRECTORATE How an ‘extinct’ tortoise was rediscovered after a century The Fernandina giant tortoise disappeared more than 100 years ago. Now there is hope its population could return.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSÉ VIEIRA, TROPICAL HERPING/USFQ Corruption, gold mining threaten a new see-through glass frog The Manduriacu glass frog’s tiny habitat lies within a mining concession—and it needs urgent protection to survive, conservationists say.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEJANDRO ARTEAGA These five new snake species suck snails out of their shells The names of the snakes were auctioned off, and funds from the event will go toward preserving some of the species.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MELISSA COSTALES ‘Extinct’ toad rediscovery offers hope amid amphibian apocalypse If the Mindo harlequin toad has developed resistance to chytrid disease, that may be a sign that the global epidemic is abating. READ MORE SHARE RELATED: WE MAY KNOW LESS ABOUT THE 'AMPHIBIAN APOCALYPSE' THAN WE THOUGHT +

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE WINTER, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION Indigenous peoples defend Earth's biodiversity—but they're in danger Comprising less than 5% of the world's population, indigenous people protect 80% of global biodiversity. Their role has been under discussion by world leaders. READ MORE SHARE

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOEL SARTORE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Traces of lost society found in 'pristine' cloud forest Deep in Ecuador’s lush Quijos Valley, a society thrived—and then disappeared. But a lake preserved its story. READ MORE SHARE

PHOTOGRAPH BY THOMAS P. PESCHAK A warming planet jolts the iconic creatures of the Galápagos Species that inspired Darwin’s theory of natural selection are facing new challenges to adapt. READ MORE SHARE

HISTORY & CULTURE

PHOTOGRAPH BY BATES LITTLEHALES The search for the lost Inca gold of Atahualpa Steeped in death, conquest, desire, and mystery, the legend of the lost Inca gold is guarded by remote, mist-veiled mountains in central Ecuador. READ MORE PHOTOGRAPH BY GABBY SALAZAR Chocolate gets its sweet history rewritten Long believed to have been domesticated in Central America some 4,000 years ago, cacao has a more interesting story than previously thought. READ MORE

VIDEO FEATURE Explore a rare hammerhead shark nursery in the Galápagos WATCH NOW

WHERE WILL WE JOURNEY TO NEXT? Be sure to check your inbox next week to find out.

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