Ecuador's Indigenous paraecologists fight mining with jaguar tracks and legal rights
A legal clash over nature's rights is growing in Ecuador, where ecosystems hold constitutional protections. Indigenous paraecologists are now gathering evidence to defend their lands against mining expansion. One such battle is unfolding in Maikiuants, a forest rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage.
The area faces threats from a Canadian mining firm aiming to extract copper, a project that could permanently alter the landscape. At the same time, local experts like Jhostin Antún and Olger Kitiar are documenting wildlife—including a recent jaguar sighting—to strengthen legal defences for the forest.
Ecuador became the first country to recognise the 'rights of nature' in its 2008 constitution. This groundbreaking law grants ecosystems the right to exist, regenerate, and maintain their natural cycles. Since then, similar legal frameworks have emerged in Colombia, Bolivia, and parts of Brazil and Chile, leading to stricter reviews for mining, dams, and road projects. Yet enforcement remains uneven, with many developments proceeding after adjustments rather than outright bans.
In Maikiuants, a forest in southeastern Ecuador, the tension between conservation and industry is sharp. The region is home to endangered species, cascading waterfalls, and medicinal plants passed down through generations of Indigenous knowledge. Solaris Resources, a Canadian mining company, now seeks to extract copper there, a process that could reshape the forest permanently.
Local paraecologists—Indigenous experts trained in scientific methods—are fighting back. Jhostin Antún and Olger Kitiar, who work with the group Ecoforensic, collect critical data: species inventories, water samples, and signs of wildlife. Their findings serve as legal evidence to challenge mining permits. In 2023, similar efforts helped block a mega copper mine in Ecuador's Intag Valley by proving threats to endangered species.
Recently, Kitiar spotted a fresh jaguar track while hiking in Maikiuants. The print was larger than one captured by a camera trap last October, suggesting a male jaguar—a rare and protected species. Such discoveries strengthen arguments that mining would violate nature's legal rights, forcing projects to meet higher environmental standards or face court-ordered halts.
The conflict in Maikiuants highlights Ecuador's broader struggle to balance economic development with its pioneering environmental laws. Mining projects must now navigate stricter approval processes due to nature's legal protections. Paraecologists continue to play a key role, using fieldwork to defend ecosystems in court—one species inventory and jaguar track at a time.
