Wildlife of Peru

It belongs to the select group of mega diverse countries because of the presence of the Andes, Amazon rainforest, and the Pacific Ocean.

In 1999, the National System of Natural Areas Protected by the State (Sistema Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado, SINANPE) was established by the Peruvian government.

The oldest national park in Peru is Cutervo, created in 1961 in the department of Cajamarca, known for its numerous caves such as San Andrés, home to the oilbird, a nocturnal bird in danger of extinction.

Some of the most important include: In addition to national parks and reserves, Peru has various protection units, including: These various units of protection, conservation, and research reflect Peru's extraordinary biological richness and cultural heritage, making the country one of the world's privileged natural regions.

[7] Peru has hundreds of mammals including some rare species like the puma, jaguar and spectacled bear, that live in the canopy so jungle lodges usually construct towers to observe life above.

The Pacific holds a bounty of sea bass, flounder, anchovies, tuna, crustacean (crab or lobster), shellfish and seals.

In January 2007, scientists discovered a new species of cloud-forest rodent of the spiny rat family (Isothrix barbarabrownae) in Manu.

[9] In March 2009, scientists discovered a new species of mouse (Akodon sp.nov)[8] Peru's national bird is the Andean cock-of-the-rock.

Peru's reptile fauna includes spectacular species like giant anacondas and caimans, as well as many other snakes, lizards and turtles.

The Highlands above the tree-line is known as puna, where bushes, cactus and drought-resistant plants, such as ichu grass extend up to the zone of snow-capped mountains.