page_title: Loja Province
section_title: Ecology
hierarchical_section_title: Loja Province / Ecology
caption_attribution_description: self made.
context_page_description: Loja Province is one of 24 provinces in Ecuador and shares its southern border on the west with El Oro Province, on the north with El Azuay, and on the east with Zamora-Chinchipe. Founded on its present site in 1548 by Captain Alonso de Mercadillo, the site had been previously moved and rebuilt from La Toma due to earthquakes. It also is named as "Cuxibamba Valley", from the Quichua language, which means the "Smiley Valley".
context_section_description: The region is famous for plants, bird species, and butterflies which can often be seen in protected national parks, the most important being Podocarpus. This park is 1,463 square kilometres and has an elevation ranging from 1000 m to 3690 m. The park is home for a number of animals like bears and pumas as well as exotic birdlife. Over 40% of the park's 3,000–4,000 plant species are endemic, unique to this area. There are also more than 600 species of birds here.
  Cherimoyas: This tasty fruit occurs naturally in Loja Province, in the localities of Amaluza, Cariamanga, Gonzanamá, and Vilcabamba. Its natural occurrence comprises altitudes of 1500 to 2000 meters of altitude. Mean optimal annual temperature for cherimoya growing in Ecuador is between 18 and 20 °C. Optimal annual precipitation is 800 – 1,000 mm.
caption: Amazon parrot
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