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Pastaza is a province rich on the cultural level and has seven indigenous nationalities along with its common population. The principal nationalities are: Achuar, Andoa, Shuar, Kichwa, Shiwiar, Waorani, and Zapara. These indigenous communities have lived in the Amazon jungle for centuries. Their lifestyles, gastronomy, music, and worldview along with their various languages make them into true anthropologic gems for both investigators and tourists.
The Omaere Ethno Botanical Park is the first ethno botanical park in South America. The park presents a collection of plants, shrubbery, and trees traditional to the jungle cultures. The park is primarily ethnic and botanical which is why you will find here various native plants that have been used by the indigenous of the jungle as medicine to treat sickness and physical pain for millennia. You can take tours to get to know the worldview of the Shuar, Waorani, Kichwa, and Zapara nationalities.
The park counts with a variety of species of orchids, bromelias, heliconias, trees, fruit trees, and medicinal plants. There is also a great variety of ornamental plants. You will also be able to find butterflies, wild birds, and insects. The orchids are considered the most exotic and over 300 exist in the garden.
Arajuno is located at the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon Jungle and surrounding it are high mountains such as the Pasu-urku, Chuva-urku, Wama-urku, and Taruga-urka. Arajuno has a large number of waterfalls which were ancestral places used as a medium to connect humans to mythical beings of nature in order to obtain power and wisdom. There are also 8 rivers and numerous estuaries and fountains of water which form part of the Arajuno water system.
The Cotococha Kichwa community is located on the banks of the Puyo River in a zone that is rich in cultural diversity and natural resources. Cotococha offers its visitors the possibility to get involved in local culture like dance and handicraft activities. Through short walks you can enter the jungle to observe birdlife and take part in daily activities such as making chicha from manioc.
Community of the Valle Hermoso Pavacachi. This community has many attractions: regarding nature there is the humid tropical forest, landscapes, medicinal plants, lagoons, rivers, flora and fauna; cultural attractions are the language, music and dance groups, handicrafts, nourishment, and the Kichwa and Shiwiar nationalities.
Among the activities that can be done here are excursions into the jungle, high risk sports, rafting in the Pastaza River, kayaking, tubing in the Puyo and Alpayacu rivers, canoeing, and trekking.
The Fatima Zoo. At this center the animals reproduce in their natural habitats in order to create and ample array of new species of mammals and birds.
Regarding the fauna, the most important mammal species are the mountain lion, the guatin, dasyprocta fuliginosa, arm, rupicola peruviana, tapirus pinchaque, tremarctos ornatus, dasypus novemcinctus, howler monkey, and others. The birds that can be observed are the toucan, wild guan, etc. The reptiles present are snakes, lizards, amphibians, and a few species of frogs.
Omaere Ethno Botanical Park.
Here there exist an infinite number of diverse insects of many different classes and colors. Among the birdlife there are is the oropendola, tangara paraiso, storks, cacique, wild guan, black beaked mirlo (turdus serranus), hummingbirds and more.
Arajuno. (Cradle of biodiversity) Arajuno is the owner of an enchanting nature, diverse fauna species of which many are unique. This represents an enormous richness that the canton possesses and is appreciated y those who love natural resources. It is an immense home to many species.
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