El Morro Estuary Wildlife refuge is a small fishing village located 9km from Playas, Guayas province, Ecuador. It offers tours of the mangrove swamp, dolphin estuary, and Birds Island. The 3 hour tour includes observing bottle-nosed dolphins and local flora in the estuary for 1.5 hours, and visiting Birds Island to see birds like pelicans, boobies, herons and albatross. The local community has been trained in environmental education and has found a balance between ecotourism and preserving the natural beauty, with affordable prices for national tourists.

1. El Morro Pier
Playas
Johanna Fabre R.

2. El Morro Estuary Wildlife refuge
Location: 9km from Playas,
Guayas province

3. Small fishing village
Touristic atractions:
Mangrove swamp
Dolphin Estuary
Birds Island
Sports
El Morro Church
El Morro Hill
Flora: carob cullulle, Muyu, acacia, cascol, plum, rattan,
kapok, pitajaya, rafting

4. El Morro Church

5. El Muerto Hill
Getting off the beaten path

6. Estuary

7. Pelican

8. Blue footed booby

9. Gull

10. Pink Heron

11. Albatross

12. Mockingbirs

13. Frigate

14. Birds Island

15. Bottle nosed dolphins

17.  Lenght: 3 hours.
 Estuary: (1h30)looking for the dolphins and learning
about flora.
 Birds Island: Getting off in the island and observing
birds.
The trip

18. Impact on the locals

19.  Government have built a pier, and trained the community
in environmental education for the preservation of the
Wildlife refuge.
 Also they have grown a culture of tourism.
 They have found a compromise for preserving the beauty
of the nature around them.
 Their way of life is simple. Even though they make a living
with the touristic activities, they don’t take advantage of
this. Prices for the different activities are affordable for the
common national tourist.

20. El Morro Pier

21.  Possible contamination of the water if fuel spill
occurs.
 Shrimp pools located in the area.
Impact on the environment