Park earthquake history

Explore recorded seismic events and epicentre data associated with this protected landscape.

Historical Earthquake Records and Seismic Data for Cotacachi Cayapas National Park

The earthquake history for Cotacachi Cayapas National Park provides a transparent archive of seismic events registered in the surrounding geographic region. Each record identifies the epicentre location, magnitude, and calculated distance relative to the park boundaries. This collection serves as a factual resource for understanding regional seismic occurrences without implying current risk or causal relationship to the park environment.

Explore Cotacachi Cayapas National Park

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A vast western Andean protected area spanning Andean highlands, cloud forests, and Pacific lowlands in northern Ecuador.

Cotacachi Cayapas National Park

Cotacachi Cayapas National Park is one of the most important protected areas in the western Andes of Ecuador, stretching from the high Ecuadorian Andes to the humid coastal lowlands. It spans two provinces, Esmeraldas and Imbabura, across six cantons and encompasses an extraordinary altitudinal range that begins near sea level along the San Miguel River and rises to nearly 5,000 meters on the slopes of Volcán Cotacachi. Because of this enormous vertical range, the park protects a remarkable variety of ecosystems within a single continuous territory. High-altitude páramo grasslands, montane cloud forests, and humid piedmont forests give way at lower elevations to lowland Chocó rainforest, creating a transition zone where Andean and Pacific biogeographic influences overlap. The park is also significant for its birdlife and for the presence of Afro-Esmeraldeño and Chachi communities, whose traditional territories overlap with the protected area. Established in 1968, it is the second oldest protected area in continental Ecuador and today functions as a key refuge for threatened Andean and Chocó species.

Location: Ecuador
Park type: National park
Established: 1968
Area: 2,609.6 km²
Highest point: 4,939 m

Cotacachi Cayapas National Park Geography

Compare Cotacachi Cayapas National Park dates, depths, places, and distances

Explore earthquake history near Cotacachi Cayapas National Park

Cotacachi Cayapas National Park’s collection associates records by epicentre geography and calculated park distance, without placing every earthquake inside its steep Andean boundary. Readers can compare event time, magnitude, depth, reported place, separation, and source access while avoiding inferences about mountain, forest, or lagoon effects, seismic cause, present hazard, or future activity.

Magnitude

Location

This page describes catalogued earthquakes associated with the park by epicentre location and distance. It does not establish causation, assess current danger, or predict future earthquakes.

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Park atlas

Continue beyond Cotacachi Cayapas National Park earthquake records in the atlas

Discover other parks after Cotacachi Cayapas National Park

Cotacachi Cayapas National Park's earthquake collection closes before the atlas moves from Ecuador's western Andes, cloud forest, páramo, and Chocó rainforest to other parks. Their inclusion does not establish shared national-park designation, habitat, altitude, proximity, geology, seismic evidence, hazards, risk, biodiversity, or equivalent coverage.

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Nature reservePichincha

About 30 km away#1 closest

South

Reserva Geobotánica Pululahua: Protected Volcanic Caldera and Highland Ecosystems

A distinct geobotanical reserve in the Pichincha region of the Ecuadorian Andes.

Reserva Geobotánica Pululahua is a protected natural area centered on a massive, 12-kilometer-wide volcanic caldera. Its landscape features three prominent lava domes and a rare altitudinal gradient of vegetation, spanning from semi-dry mountain shrubland to dense cloud forest. This reserve serves as a critical study of volcanic geology and human-landscape interaction in the high Andes, offering a concentrated look at Ecuador's vertical ecological zonation.

Area: 34.417 km²
Established: 1966
Relief: Mountain
Climate: Subtropical

Explore Reserva Geobotánica Pululahua Geography

Nature reserveCarchi Province

33 km away#2 closest

East

Reserva ecológica El Ángel: High-Andean Protected Landscape and Geography Map

Exploring páramo ecosystems in Carchi Province, Ecuador

Reserva ecológica El Ángel is a crucial conservation area in the northern Andes, defined by its high-altitude páramo, volcanic geology, and extensive wetland network. It serves as a vital hydrological heart for Carchi Province, supporting diverse highland vegetation including dense stands of giant frailejón and ancient Polylepis forests across a dramatic, glacially-sculpted terrain.

Area: 165.41 km²
Established: 1992
IUCN: Ia
Relief: Mountain

Reserva ecológica El Ángel Protected Area Atlas

Nature reserveEsmeraldas

41 km away#3 closest

North

Reserva ecológica Manglares Cayapas-Mataje: Mapped Coastal Wetland and Protected Landscape

A vast estuarine and mangrove refuge in the Esmeraldas province of Ecuador.

The Reserva ecológica Manglares Cayapas-Mataje spans over 49,000 hectares of diverse coastal terrain, including tidal estuaries, guandales, and tropical lowland forests. As a Ramsar-recognized wetland, this reserve preserves critical connectivity between riverine basins and the Pacific Ocean, acting as a vital geographic anchor for Chocó endemic species and complex aquatic habitats within the Esmeraldas region.

Area: 490.71 km²
Established: 1995
Relief: Lowland
Climate: Tropical

Reserva ecológica Manglares Cayapas-Mataje Protected Area Map

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National parkEcuador

About 66 km away#4 closest

Southeast

Parque nacional Cayambe-Coca: Regional Geography and Protected Landscape Analysis

Equatorial volcanic peaks and Amazonian slope geography

Examine the physical geography of Parque nacional Cayambe-Coca, a protected area in Ecuador known for its extreme elevation shifts. The mapped terrain transitions from the glaciated summit of Volcán Cayambe through extensive páramo wetlands and montane cloud forests into the Amazonian foothills, providing a comprehensive case study of Andean environmental gradients.

Area: 4,031.03 km²
Established: 1970
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain

Explore Parque nacional Cayambe-Coca Geography

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National parkNapo

71 km away#5 closest

Southeast

Parque nacional Antisana: Volcanic Terrain and Andean Protected Area Geography

High-altitude ecosystems spanning Napo and the Andean corridor

Spanning the rugged Cordillera Real, Parque nacional Antisana protects a vast sweep of volcanic terrain dominated by its central stratovolcano. From glacial fields to the water-retention capacity of its páramo wetlands, the area represents a crucial node in Ecuador's conservation network, providing a sanctuary for Andean condors and diverse montane species.

Area: 1,205.81 km²
Established: 1993
IUCN: Ia
Relief: Mountain

Parque nacional Antisana Atlas and Geography

Nature reserveEsmeraldas

76 km away#6 closest

West

Reserva Ecológica Mache-Chindul: Coastal Mountain and Tropical Forest Protected Geography

Mapping the biodiversity of Esmeraldas provincial wilderness

Spanning over 119,000 hectares, Reserva Ecológica Mache-Chindul stands as a primary ecological shield against landscape degradation in coastal Ecuador. This site preserves rare mature forest mosaics, from dense Chocó lowland rainforest to misty high-altitude ridges. Gain geographic insight into this vital wilderness area through its distinct watershed basins and protected forest corridors.

Area: 1,191.72 km²
Established: 1996
IUCN: Ia
Relief: Mountain

Reserva Ecológica Mache-Chindul Protected Forest Map

A wide watercolor illustration showing a misty landscape with green trees in the midground and faint mountain peaks in the background.

Nature reserveEcuador

79 km away#7 closest

South

Reserva Ecológica Los Illinizas: Geographic Atlas and Andean Protected Nature Reserve

Volcanic terrain and cloud forest ecosystems in central Ecuador

Spanning across the provinces of Cotopaxi, Pichincha, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Reserva Ecológica Los Illinizas preserves a significant vertical gradient of Andean ecosystems. The reserve protects the western flanks of the Illiniza volcanoes, Quilotoa, and El Corazón, offering a detailed look at high-altitude biodiversity and the transition from rugged mountain peaks to lush western cloud forests.

Area: 1,342.33 km²
Established: 1996
IUCN: Ia
Relief: Mountain

Reserva Ecológica Los Illinizas Park Geography

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Wildlife reservePichincha

About 84 km away#8 closest

South

Refugio de Vida Silvestre Pasochoa: Volcanic Crater and Andean Forest Protected Area

Geographic atlas of the Pichincha volcanic highlands

Located in the Pichincha province, Refugio de Vida Silvestre Pasochoa protects an essential highland habitat defined by its steep volcanic crater walls and dense bamboo stands. This area provides a scientific reference for inter-Andean vegetation, featuring a sharp contrast between forested inner slopes and surrounding agricultural landscapes. Map the ecological gradient of this protected refuge and explore its role within the broader northern Andean geographic context.

Area: 9.799 km²
Established: 1996
IUCN: Ib
Relief: Mountain

Refugio de Vida Silvestre Pasochoa Protected Area Map

MoriAtlas Explorer

Continue Exploring the Protected Landscape of Cotacachi Cayapas National Park

Examine the varied topography and ecological distribution within Cotacachi Cayapas National Park. Through MoriAtlas, trace the altitudinal transition from Andean volcanic peaks to lowland river basins, providing a detailed understanding of one of Ecuador's most significant protected regions.

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Cotacachi Cayapas National Park Geography

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