[4] The sanctuary was established on February 24 1984, covering an area of 690.6 hectares (1,707 acres) with the aim to protect local flora and fauna as well as to attract tourists.

[3] The sanctuary is located on the southern coast of Peru, in the region of Arequipa, and belongs to the districts of Mejía and Dean Valdivia.

[3] One of the purposes of this protected area is to provide a sanctuary for Nearctic migratory birds, as it is a unique habitat on almost 2000 km of coast on the Pacific Ocean.

[3][6][5] Some of the mammals reported in the area are: Molina's hog-nosed skunk, the lesser grison, the Sechuran fox, the marine otter, Pallas's long-tongued bat, and the montane guinea pig.

[3][5] The aquatic ecosystems harbor species of fish like monengue (Dormitator latifrons), lisa (Mugil cephalus) and pejerrey (Basilichthys sp.

[5] A study showed degradation in 97.93 hectares of the sanctuary due to limited management, which resulted in decreased biodiversity, especially birds.