Tapichalaca reserve in Ecuador is important for orchid and bird conservation. Situated in the Huancabamba depression in the Andes, the region is facing deforestation risk and biodiversity loss due to the primary threat of agriculture and mining, together with road expansion and illegal hunting. Tapichalaca boasts more than 800 plant species, with 30 endemic orchid species discovered within the reserve. A total of 351 bird species have been recorded in the reserve.The Tapichalaca reserve was created by Fundación Jocotoco to safeguard the last remaining habitat of the endangered Jocotoco Antpitta. This strikingly-patterned bird was discovered in 1997 and is found in only a few locations globally, with more than half of the Jocotoco Antpitta’s global population living here. Another notable species is the Tapichalaca Tree Frog, discovered in 2001, with its entire distribution restricted to this reserve.