Battalions of thousands of vegetal beings equipped with the most extraordinary adaptations, defy the rigor of the climate in the high moors of El Ángel: they are the frailejones, the most representative plants of this protected area. They have a crown of rosette leaves covered by whitish hairs that protect from the cold, repel water and reflect excess solar radiation; Due to their velvety texture they are also known as ``rabbit ears``. This type of páramo is mostly in the Andes of Venezuela and Colombia; However, it reaches the north of Ecuador in Carchi and an isolated population in the Llanganates National Park, in the central-eastern highlands. The El Ángel moor is very humid and has many lagoons that provide water to a large part of the Carchi province. In the buffer zone of the reserve there are forests of paper or red trees, named for the color of their bark and because their trunk is peeling. Deer, condors and curiquingues roam the entire area.
