Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [41]
The eastern Andean slopes receive much more rainfall than the dry western slopes and are draped in lush cloud forests as they descend into the lowland rainforests of the Amazon. In the low-lying Amazon basin, the undulating landscape rarely rises more than 500m above sea level as various tributary systems feed into the mighty Río Amazonas (Amazon River), the largest river in the world. Weather conditions are hot and humid year-round, with most precipitation falling between December and May. Roads into and within the Peruvian Amazon region are few, and people typically get around by boat or airplane.
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THE DEEPEST CANYON
Not far outside of Arequipa, in southern Peru, the Cañón del Colca (Click here), at 3191m deep, was once considered to be the deepest canyon in the world. That honor has since been taken by the Cañón del Cotahuasi (Click here), beyond Nevado Coropuna to the west, which has a floor that lies 3345m below its adjacent snowy peaks. Both of these canyons are more than twice as deep as Arizona’s Grand Canyon (which has a depth of about 1500m), making them the deepest canyons in the western hemisphere.
There is some debate, however, as to whether Cotahuasi can claim the title of deepest canyon in the world. Nepal’s Kali Gandaki valley floor lies some 6000m below the neighboring 8000m-plus summits of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, but this, apparently, is considered a gorge by some, and not a canyon. Regardless of the outcome of these internecine debates, southern Peru’s canyons remain an awe-inspiring sight.
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WILDLIFE
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One of the most engagingly written books on rainforest life is Adrian Forsyth and Ken Miyata’s Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America.
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With its folds, bends and plunging river valleys, Peru is home to countless kinds of ecosystems, each with its own unique climate, elevation, vegetation and soil type. As a result, it boasts a spectacular diversity of desert, highland and rainforest plant and animal life. Colonies of sea lions occupy rocky, desert outcroppings on the coast, while raucous flocks of brightly colored macaws descend on clay licks encircled by strangler figs in the Amazon. In the Andes, rare vicuñas (endangered relatives of the alpaca) trot about in packs in search of low grasses as fabled condors take to the wind currents. Peru is one of only a dozen or so countries in the world considered to be ‘megadiverse.’
Animals
Wildlife enthusiasts come to see Peru to see a rainbow variety of birds, as well as camelids, freshwater dolphins, condors, butterflies, jaguars, anacondas, macaws and spectacled bears, to name just a few of the country’s many engrossing species. Naturally, many animals can be difficult to see. But for travelers equipped with plenty of patience, and armed with a skilled local guide, it is certainly not impossible. Just be prepared for plenty of predawn wake-up calls, since many animals are most active in the wee hours of the morning.
BIRDS
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Travellers’ Wildlife Guides: Peru, by David Pearson and Les Beletsky, helpfully lists the country’s most important and frequently seen birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and ecosystem habitats.
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Peru has more than 1800 bird species. That’s more than the number of species found in North America and Europe together, so it’s no wonder ornithologists flock to Peru en masse. From the tiniest hummingbirds to the majestic Andean condor, the variety is colorful and seemingly endless; new species are discovered regularly.
Along the