Try the Lycos Find it index or return to the front page of Lycos. Please email us. The Quechua-Tacana villagers of San Jose Uchiapiamonas, a community located within Madidi National Park, launched this ecotourism initiative to generate job opportunities and fend off increased pressure by logging and oil interests. Madidi National park spans across nearly 4.5 million acres in the Tropical Andes, and is home to impressive numbers of bird species, including Toucans, Aracaris, Trogons, and Mot-mots. As one of the planet's 25 biodiversity hotspots as identified by CI, the Tropical Andes harbors one of the highest concentrations of endemic plant and animal species - those species originally found nowhere else on Earth.
Hotspots are also areas under imminent threat of destruction.
In recent years Madidi and the surrounding area have faced increasing threats from populations encroaching upon the protected area, along with threats from logging, oil extraction, and mining interests. I've witnessed the impact of conservation-based investment on the lives of the people in Madidi National Park. Chalalan's thatch-roof cabins, adorned with ancient handicrafts from local artisans, offer comfortable accommodations. From the cabin balconies, guests can enjoy a breathtaking view of Chalalan Lake and the vast expanse of Madidi's lush forests. Local guides lead Chalalan's guests on searches for troops of monkeys, herds of wild peccary, nesting macaws, and the elusive jaguar.