June 27, 2004

Q. A 9th grader in Rutherford asks: What kinds of jobs do they have there?

A. Jobs in rural Ecuador include: agriculture, ecoturism, and handicrafts. Jobs in the large cities resemble jobs in the North Carolina cities.

Q. Someone in Duplin County asks: When are the two seasons of Ecuador, and how long are they?

A. The May to December months are the dry season, and the wet season is from January to April.

Q. A 5th grader in Caldwell County asks: Does Ecuador have endangered/threatened plants and animals? If so, what are the people of Ecuador doing to help prevent these plants and animals from becoming extinct?

A. Many species of animals found here are endangered, such as humpback whales, vicunas, howler monkeys, and armadillos. Ecuador is trying to recover these populations by restoring forest habitats, creating preserves, and establishing corridors where the animals can travel safely and which reduce habitat fragmentation.

Q. A student in Wake County asks: As you hike, do you see any streams/creeks that have fish? If so, what kind of fish?

A. During the rainy season the rivers and creeks swell and provide ample habitats for eels and salt water fish that migrate up the rivers. The fish that we have eaten, called tilapia, are raised on community farms.

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