Sumaco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sumaco |
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Sumaco Volcano.
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 3,990 m (13,090 ft) |
Geography | |
Geology | |
Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
Last eruption | 1895 ± 30 years |
Sumaco is a special kind of volcano called a stratovolcano. It stands alone, away from the main group of volcanoes in Ecuador. Imagine a tall, cone-shaped mountain, and that's often what a stratovolcano looks like!
What makes Sumaco unique are its rocks. Most volcanoes in the Andes mountains have rocks called andesite. But Sumaco has different types of rocks, like basanite and phonolite. This makes it stand out from its neighbors.
Sumaco is also covered in thick forests. At its very top, it has a wide crater with a small cone inside. The last time this volcano erupted was a long time ago, around the year 1895.
Plants and Animals of Sumaco
Sumaco is separated from the main mountain range by a valley where the Cosanga and Quijos Rivers flow. This isolation has made it a very special place for nature.
It's home to more than 6,000 different kinds of plants! Many of these plants are endemic species, which means they are found only in this one place in the whole world. There are over 90 plant species that live only on Sumaco.
Animals also thrive here. For example, there's a special kind of toad called Osornophryne sumacoensis. You can only find this toad on the eastern slopes of Sumaco. Another unique animal is the robber frog, Pristimantis ernesti, which lives only at the very top of Sumaco.
See also
In Spanish: Sumaco para niños