Machalilla National Park
🇪🇨 Ecuador
Pacific Coast, Ecuador 854 spp. recorded
Machalilla National Park stretches along the rugged Pacific coast of Ecuador, protecting a rare tropical dry forest where cactus-studded ridges drop directly into the ocean. This coastal sanctuary stands apart from typical rainforest reserves through its arid woodlands, dry brush, and secluded sandy bays. Trails wind through gnawed tree trunks and drought-resistant brush, leading hikers past hidden coves and panoramic ocean viewpoints.
-1.566° S 80.693° W
🦜 Nature
405 Species sighted
24,504 Verified sightings From 2019 to 2026
Dec Best month
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
+ 550 more species with insufficient data
Recent sightings in Machalilla National Park
LIVEiNaturalistSighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a day
30Jan
29Feb
37Mar
39Apr
39May
29Jun
31Jul
29Aug
32Sep
34Oct
33Nov
46Dec
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
-
Agua Blanca
Daily sight. prob.vs avg
Guayaquil Squirrel~80%+60%
Shieldhead Gecko~80%+50%
Green Iguana~80%+40%
Rosenberg's Gladiator Frog~70%+50%
Southern House Wren~70%≈
Gray-breasted Martin~60%+30%
Scrub Blackbird~60%+10%
Black Vulture~60%≈
Peters' Leaf-toed Gecko~60%+40%
Tropical Gnatcatcher~60%+10%
Turkey Vulture~60%≈
Tropical Kingbird~60%+20%
-
Isla de la Plata
Daily sight. prob.vs avg
Magnificent Frigatebird>90%+30%
Bocourt's Ameiva~90%+40%
Knobbed Pacific Iguana~90%+30%
Blue-footed Booby~90%+50%
Humpback Whale~70%+20%
Brown Pelican~60%+10%
Trans-Andean Vine Snake~60%+40%
Green Sea Turtle~60%+20%- Southern House Wren~50%-10%
Southern Sea Lion~50%+10%- Turkey Vulture~40%-20%
- Peters' Leaf-toed Gecko~20%≈
-
Río Chico · Reserva La Esmeralda
Daily sight. prob.vs avg -
Ayampe · Reserva Río Ayampe de la Fundación Jocotoco
-
Puerto López · Playa, muelle y malecón (Waterfront)
🏕️ Experience
Essentials
Entrance
Paid
Tourism
Low
Typical stay
1–2
daysTrails
Hard
World Heritage
No
Climate
Temp °C Rain mm
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
0.0 Good
Wallace's Line Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife? 🦜
Biodiversity
ExcellentHow rich is the wildlife?
4.7
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds 554
🐒 Mammals 174
🦎 Reptiles 89
🐸 Amphibians 24
🦈 Sharks & Rays 13
854 Total Species
828 Global average across 316 parks
45 Threatened 50 Endemic
🔭
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
2.9
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
57% 📊
Coverage (201 species at ≥5% of 854 in the inventory)
24% 🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 2 reptile)
37% 🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
131 🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
10 ⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
18 🏕️
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
3.6
Climate Pleasant High
Entrance Paid Low
Tourism Medium Medium
Trails Hard Low
World Heritage No —
Before you go
What animals can you see in Machalilla National Park?
854 species
Machalilla National Park has 854 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are Magnificent Frigatebird (about 70%), Knobbed Pacific Iguana (about 70%), Southern House Wren (about 60%), Turkey Vulture (about 60%) and Black Vulture (about 60%). Among mammals, the most-seen is Humpback Whale (about 40%); among amphibians, Rosenberg's Gladiator Frog (about 20%).
When is the best time to visit Machalilla National Park for wildlife?
May–October and December–February
In those months the park's 12 most-seen species average about 60% on a given day, against about 50% in March–April and November.
Can you see a Humpback Whale in Machalilla National Park?
Yes
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale sighting in Machalilla National Park on a given day, based on 54 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is August (about 80%).
Can you see a Blue-footed Booby in Machalilla National Park?
Yes
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-footed Booby sighting in Machalilla National Park on a given day, based on 664 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is June (about 70%).
Can you see a Green Sea Turtle in Machalilla National Park?
Yes
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Green Sea Turtle sighting in Machalilla National Park on a given day, based on 88 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is November (about 70%).
Can you see a Magnificent Frigatebird in Machalilla National Park?
Yes
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Magnificent Frigatebird sighting in Machalilla National Park on a given day, based on 929 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is May to September (about 80%).
Where in Machalilla National Park is wildlife easiest to see?
Around Agua Blanca
The richest sighting zone is around Agua Blanca, followed by Isla de la Plata and Río Chico · Reserva La Esmeralda, ranked by how many of the park's headline animals visitors can expect to see in each. See the zones on the map.
Is Machalilla National Park good for wildlife watching?
3.5 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, Machalilla National Park rates 3.5/5: 179th of 316 parks worldwide and 26th in South America. 25 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.
