Limoncocha National Biological Reserve, Nature reserve in Sucumbíos Province, Ecuador

Limoncocha National Biological Reserve is a protected area in Sucumbíos Province that centers on a wide rainforest lagoon. The lagoon stretches between thick forest, and swampy zones surround the open water while smaller pools lie scattered inland.

The reserve's lagoons and wetlands are thought to be ancient meanders of the Napo River, which carries sediment from the Andes. The area was declared a Ramsar wetland site by UNESCO in 1998, and the Black Lagoon, the Jivino and the Capucuy form its core zone.

The reserve takes its name from the Limoncocha lagoon, formerly called Capucuy; limón refers to the lemon-green tint that microscopic algae give the water. A small Quichua community lives inside the reserve, and the Jivino and Capucuy rivers form the wetland core around the lagoon and Yanacocha.

The approach starts in Quito with a bus toward Lago Agrio, then a ride through Shushufindi to the entrance near kilometer 31. Trails through the forest can turn muddy, so pack sturdy shoes and a change of clothes.

The reserve's bird list has grown from 317 recorded species to over 347, including the horned screamer (Anhima cornuta) and the Ecuadorian cacique, endemic to the country. The northern Oriente region was described in Scientific American in 1986 as holding the world's highest concentration of amphibians, based on studies in nearby Cuyabeno.