Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Yasuni National Park
Mains level: Not Much
Central Idea
- Ecuadorians made a historic decision by rejecting oil drilling by a referendum in Yasuni National Park, a biodiverse Amazonian region.
About Yasuni National Park
- Yasuni National Park, declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1989, spans 1 million hectares and harbors exceptional biodiversity.
- It is part of the Amazon rainforest, which itself is a global hotspot for species diversity.
- It is situated in the northeastern part of Ecuador, within the Napo and Pastaza provinces.
- It covers an area of approximately 9,820 square km (3,791 square miles).
- The park is considered one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth.
Unique features
- Biodiversity: It is estimated that Yasuni contains around 670 species of birds, over 150 species of amphibians, and numerous large mammals like jaguars, pumas, and tapirs.
- Indigenous Communities: Yasuni is home to several indigenous communities, including the Waorani and Kichwa peoples, who have lived in the area for generations and have a deep connection to the land.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024