Zábalo, Ecuador, is situated about 100 miles (259 km) from the nearest road and nearly an 11-hour boat ride to the nearest town. The weather is sub-tropical, and temperatures usually stay in the high 80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. The annual rainfall averages about 50 inches (320 cm), and during the rainy season Zábalo can be soaked with up to 7 inches (45 cm) in a single month! The entire country of Ecuador is about the size of Oregon, and the rainforest comprises nearly 36% of the land. There are four distinct habitats at or near Zábalo. The village is located on vareza or flood plain created by the white water, high silt bearing Aguarico river. The area along the Zábalo river is igapó or flooded forest. North of the village is characterized by terra firma or hilly forest. To the south of the village is the largely unknown habitat of the Amazon, the mauriti swamps.

The Amazonian rainforest is home to 20% of the earth’s plant life. One kilometer of the Zábalo area can contain hundreds of different types of trees and thousands of types of living plants, not to mention the animals! Zábalo is home to over 502 species of birds, 10 species of monkey, caiman, jaguar, puma, pink dolphin, macaw, tapir, ocelot, and the anaconda.

The Cofan that live at Zábalo are the modern descendants of the first residents in the area. About 25 families now live at Zábalo, but it is still possible to walk through the jungle where no other human has ever been before. The Cofan get all of their resources from the neighboring jungle. They use the trees for lumber to build huts and dugout canoes. They hunt and gather many animals and fruits. However, due to the large changes brought on the ecosystem by nearby industry, urban expansion, forest clearing, and overall pollution, the Cofan and their way of life have undergone many changes. Working as a community, the Cofan have reclaimed over 502 square miles (1300 km²) of the rainforest from oil companies, have placed hunting restrictions on certain endangered species, and take only as much from the forest as is necessary for the survival of their way of life.


continue to explore the ecosystem

Copyright Information | Linking Policy

Technical Support
webmaster@fieldmuseum.org