Nature

Puerto Cayo was born in the northern edge of Machalilla National Park, with a beautiful backdrop to the island of Pedernales, has a growing green herbaceous vegetation during the rainy season (January to April), but turns out to dry in the dry season due to water deficiencies in the upper part of the town. Several ecological zones are found from the sea to the mountain, it changes from dry to wet forest until joining with the city of Jipijapa, there are sources of water rolling down the mountains in the rainy season that reach streams and surrounding communities, this feeds the underground rivers that crisscross the area, which supply water to the community and give life to the valley that bears his name, which allows vegetable crops grew and vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, onions bulbs, corn and fruits such as watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, papaya and other citrus fruits.

You can find species such as muyuyo – Cordialutea (it seed is used as a local hairspray), Matachivo – morningglorypescaprae, Palo Santo-Bursereagraveolens (The latter to cure diseases, drive away the mosquitoes and drive away evil spirits) Algarrobo – Prosopisjuliflora (used for medicinal purposes) and other species prized for the durability and quality of wood as lignum vitae, yellow, balsam, Fernan Sanchez.

In the marine fauna we can find: mackerel, horse-sea, jurelito catfish, snapper, sardines, mullet and gold, is also lobster, shrimp, shell white or “churo”, octopus and sea cucumber and many more.

At land and air we can find, land iguanas, pelicans, gulls Crab, ocyde gaudichaudii (Beach crab), larus atricilla (Laughing gull), Turkey vulture, Pelicans, blue footed boobies, frigates, masked boobies, red footed boobies to the islets and seen in the area of Puerto La Boca and San Jose, as well as the famous albatross in the basement of Cantagallo, species that are also in Galapagos Islands, while in the mountains are still the deer, ” guatusa” , ” armadillo” , “cochucho”, fox, spider monkey, hawks and other species of birds like the parrot, doves, woodpeckers.

One of the biggest attractions to see is the Reef of Boca de Cayo and the presence of humpback whale that ritually every year make their presence coming from Antarctica to mate and bear their young in Lower Cantagallo, which attracts thousands of tourists from around the world between the months of June to October each year.