DISCOVERING THE AMAZING NATURE OF PERU

Peru has several excellent locations for watching wildlife. There are national parks and protected areas with good tourist facilities. These areas provide good opportunities for viewing wildlife

With about 67  protected areas, the largest of these  is the National Reserve of Pacaya-Samiria , an incredible tropical forest region in northern Peru covering some 2,080,000 hectares. This is closely followed in size by the Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve , another vast and stunning jungle area of about 1,532,806 hectares, and the Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone and Bahuaja-Sonone National Park , again, an Amazon area, over 1,478,942 hectares in extent, with possibly the richest flora and fauna of any region on the planet. Smaller but just as fascinating to visit are the Huascaran National Park in the high Andes near Huaraz, a popular trekking and climbing region some 340,000 hectares in area, and the lesser visited National Reserve of Pampa Galeras , close to Nasca, which was established mainly to protect the dwindling but precious herds of vicuña, the smallest and most beautiful member of the South American cameloid family.

MANU NATIONAL PARK, one of the biggest protected areas in the world, is home to the some of the greatest biodiversity and the greatest biomass in the world. The park boasts over 1,000 species of birds and 200 species of mammals. Including the biosphere reserve (Manu National Park, Reserved Zone, and Cultural Zone), Manu spans across a variety of habitats, from the Andean cloud forests to the humid lowland rainforests. Many magnificent creatures inhabit Manu's rich ecosystem, including Jaguars, Pumas, Spectacled Bears, Tapirs, Anacondas, and Harpy Eagles. A generous amount of butterflies and plants inhabit Manu's different bioregions.

TAMBOPATA NATIONAL RESERVE : The first conservation initiative made for the ecosystem of Tambopata was by means of the RM 01-77-AG/DGFF on January 03,1977. It established the Tambopata Reserve Zone across a surface area of 5,500 hectares in a traditional Ese’eja territory. While conserving the Amazon forest, the area is used for scientific investigation of the flora and fauna as well as for tourist development. The Tambopata National Reserve was declared by SL # 048-2000-AG, resulting from the proposition put forth by the area's committee planner.  This proposition was elaborated in the background of the "Conservation of the Tropical Ecosystems Project and the sustainable use of the natural resources inside the Candamo Tambopata Reserve Area". Also, a damp area of the Tambopata National Reserve was determined as the Bahuaja Sonene National Park, formed by 271,582 hectares exclusive of the Candamo Tambopata Reserve.

In the river heath we can find the famous collpas of guacamayos -macaws- and other animals

THE RIO ABISEO NATIONAL PARK . It is found located in the San Martín region, and occupies a surface area of 274,520 hectares.Within the  park exists 7 zones of  life with a variety of flora and fauna, between the altitude of 350 and 4,200 meters above sea level. The fog covered forest form the majority of the park containing the largest diversity of plants second to the tropical humid forests. Among the 11 genus and 13 species of mammals registered, you find the yellow tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda), an endemic specie and in danger of extinction in Perú, the Perú mountain paca (Agouti taczanowskii) and threatened species like the north Andean huemul (Hippocamelus antisensis), the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the jaguar (Panthera onça) and the long haired spider monkey (Ateles belzebuth).

Of the 132 bird species found, we can mention Salvin's Currasow (Crax salvini), King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa), Yellow Crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala) and the Southern Pochard (Netta erythrophthalma).

THE YANACHAGA CHEMILLEN NATIONAL PARK is situated in the department of Pasco, province Oxampampa, It has a surface of 122,000 hectares. One of its main attractive is the innumerable amount of mosses, brackens, archids, cans, bushes it has. The wild fauna is represented by 59 species of mammals; for example: the river wolf (Pteronura brasiliensis), the jaguar (Panthera onca), the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the small deer (Pudu mephistopliles), the machetero (Dinomys branickii), all of them in danger of extinction. We can also find 427 species of birds, as: aguila harpía -eagle- (Harpya harpija), the Gallito de las rocas (Rupicola peruviana), the relojero (Momotus momota), the quetzal (Pharomachrus sp.) and the tucanetas among others. There are 16 species of reptiles,  and 31 species of fishes About population there are 60 native villages.

THE CUTERVO NATIONAL PARK: This park is located in the department of Cajamarca, province of Cutervo, district of San Andres de Cutervo, it has a surface of 2,500 hectares, Its mainattractive is the Guacharos Cave, located at one hour walk from San Andrés. In this cave we can find a colony of guacharos which is a nocturnal bird (Steatornis caripensis) and there is a stream which flows under this caves where the catfish (Astroblepus rosei) lives. This park counts on menaced wild animals, like for example; jaguar (Panthera onca), the ocelot (Leopardus Pardalis), the spectaded bear (Tremarctos ornatus) the outter (lutra longicaudis), the wild cat (Oncifelis colocolo), the tapir (Tapicus pinchaque) and the national bird called Gallito de las Rocas (Rupicola Peruviana).

PACAYA SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE: This National Reserve is located in the Loreta region, in the Provinces of Loreta, Requena, Ucayali and Alto Amazonas. It has a surface area of   2,080,000 hectares and due to it's size it is the largest in the country, the second largest in the Amazon, and the fourth in South America. The fauna of the reserve is abundant and diverse. The number of mammal species reaches 132 species; those which stand out are the rodents and monkeys. There are 330 bird species registered, 23 of them are migratory, corresponding to 17% of all birds reported for the country. The reptiles and amphibians are estimated to be more than 150 species grouped into 20 families and they have reports of the existence of 220 fish species. In the reserve they protect 4 species which are in danger of extinction:  the black spider monkey (Ateles paniscus), the yellow-chested  spider monkey (Ateles beltzebuth), the woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha) and the Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis).

BIRDWATCHING: Birds with astonishing plumages, flying in a clear, peaceful  sky, cawing persistently. They stretch their wings and head towards the choppy sea, the exuberant labyrinth of the green Amazon or maybe the heights of a mountain range full of magic and unbelievable attractions.

The enchanting beauty of the Andean geography, allows for quiet bird watching as birds nest in the dense Amazon, or on the banks of noisy or peaceful rivers, or in the heights of the mountains, where you can see the majestic flight of the Condor (Vultur gryphus), the emblematic bird of the region.

Ornithologists have registered, in Peru alone, around 1,840 species of bird, being the Second Country in the World with more Bird Species. In the Biosphere Reserve of Manu, in Madre de Dios department, around 1,000 colorful species exist, most notably the "rock hen" or "tunqui" (Rupicola peruviana), which also has the pompous title of "National Bird of Peru" .

HUMMINGBIRDS Peru has yet to develop more places with hummingbird feeders, but the ones available are truly spectacular. My favorites are the following.

Amazonia  Lodge at the bottom of Manu road, with specialties such as the rare Rufous-crested Coquette, Koepcke's Hermit and Gould's Jewelfront and another dozen of more common hummers such as White-necked Jacobin, Blue Emerald, Gray-breasted Sabrewing and Black-eared Fairy come to the garden with feeders and blue vervain in front of the ample porch of the main building.   Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel the luxurious hotel with precious subtropical gardens decorated with orchids and bromeliads at the foot of Machu Picchu next to Aguas Calientes village. The hotel also have dozens of well-maintained hummingbird feeders spread out in the compound open only to its guests. The specialties include Gould's Inca, White-bellied Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Chestnut-breasted Coronet and Booted Racket-tail.