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BALLESTAS ISLAND
Paracas peninsula located 235
kilometers south of the City of
Lima, is the most important coastal
formation in Peru. An unspoiled
natural paradise where the desert
sands reveal treasures of ancient
civilizations. The Paracas National
Reserve is the first marine
conservation center of the country
and one of the most important in the
world. Established in 1975, it
covers a total area of 335,00 ha.
from which 117,406 are on land and
217,594 are in the ocean. With
beautiful beaches, ideal weather an
impressive scenery it is a place
that can be visited all year round.
The abundance of marine fauna -
birds, fish and sea mammals - found
in the Reserve attracts visitors and
ecologist who re amazed by the
profusion of sea life. Peculiar
rocky formations and geological
stratus have made the are the object
of many studies of origin of the
Planet. In the ocean floor, on a
straight line from the Paracas
peninsula another wonder has been
found, the Peruvian marine fault,
formed millions of year ago when the
coastal mountain range fell into the
ocean.
This fault is now the merging point
for two currents, "El Nino" - warm
waters coming from the north-, and "Humbolt
-cold waters coming from the south -which
originates a unique climactic
condition for proliferation of
plankton and fitophankton, main food
source of innumerable fish species
resulting in the extraordinary chain
of richness of marine life.
The sea of Paracas is considered the
lungs of the Pacific ocean because
of the pureness and oxygenation
originated in its waters. Another
peculiarity of the area are the
strong wind called "Paracas"
reaching speeds of up to 21 miles
per hour. Added to tits natural
beauty, Paracas is a very important
archaeological and historical site,
home to the advanced cultures that
flourished in Peru 1,000B.C., know
worldwide by the exquisite textiles
with combination of many colors and
stylized deign, and by the practice
of brain surgery and cranial
trepanation. The Paracas coast was
also the place where libertador San
Martin disembarked to initiate the
liberation from Spain.
From the Labos de Tierra and Lobos
de Afuera islands off chiclayo on
the north to the world famous
Paracas Island on the south Peru's
coastal waters are a virtual have
for sea life, birds and marine
mammals.
Nearby half the birds and marine
mammal populations inhabiting the
southern island's are protected
within the fifty six hundred square
mile, Paracas National Reserve. The
reserves croun jellel is Isla
Ballestas, a critical hub for rare
and endangered species including sea
lions, two endangered turtles, and
more than one hundred an ten
migratory and resident sea birds.
Neighboring islands of Chincha and
Guanape, are infamously rich in
guano. The nitrogen rich fertilizer
has been deposited in pockets over
four hundred feet deep by ten of
thousands of back cormorants over
the years.
Both islands have also provided
archeologists with significant
discoveries, headless female mummies,
whose breast and thighs were covered
with symbolized platelets of
hammered gold.
The sheer biomass of this island
group's marine and terrestrial life
forms are as great an attraction as
the biodiversity niches of the
Amazon rainforests. The island
species typify the intrinsic values
of Peru's complex natural landscape
helping to form a more complete
understanding of its total
environment.
Could the Paracas Islands one day
reflect the same travel magnetism
that say, Manu or Tambopata-Candomo's
biodiversity stimulates around the
world. Would this increased
understanding of another fragment of
Peru's disappearing natural world
give it another leap towards a
resounding lead in natural and
cultural tourism?
Paracas National Reserve
Location: Department of Ica,
province of Pisco.
Area: 335,000 hectares.
Creation: year 1975.
The only marine reservation of Peru.
Protection unit that has for
objective the conservation of the
marine ecosystem and of the
characteristic formations of a
portion of tropical sub desert,
protection of the cultural and
historical patrimony of the pre-Inca
Paracas culture, and to promote the
rational use of the marine resources.
From the total of its extension (335
thousand hectares), 217,594
correspond to marine waters and
117,406 to mainland.
The marine reservation has
characteristic of great beauty, with
average temperatures of 18.7°C
(65.66°F), with sun almost the whole
year and absence of rains. The wind
has a speed average of 14.9 km/h
(8.7 miles/h) and in some
opportunities winds that reach
speeds of 32 km/h (20 miles/h) that
lift masses of sand which are
denominated paracas.
The sea of Paracas presents small
marine currents that favor the
numerous presence of the plankton,
origin of the marine food chain,
giving place to a habitat of
numerous marine species; are
registered more than 250 species of
algae. The terrestrial flora is
almost nonexistent for the absence
of rains.
In the ocean also exists a variety
marine wealth; great quantity of
species, fish like the sole (Etropus
ectenes), white toyo (Mustelus
whitneyi), bonito (Sarda chilensis),
tramboyos, dims, mero, pampanito,
corvine, lornas, chitas, among
others.
Bufeos [dolphins] (Delphinius dephis),
turtles, mollusks like the octopus,
squids, clams and crustaceans, as
purple crabs and the muy-muy (Emerita
analoga) are also common in this
area.
In the terrestrial area exists a
rich fauna, it harbors the biggest
colony in sea lions [seals] (Otaria
byronia and Arctocephalus australis),
dung birds, zarcillos (Larosterna
inca), migratory birds, Humboldt
variety of penguins (Spheniscus
humboldt) and parihuanas or
flamingos (Phoenicopterux tuber),
species in danger of extinction,
condors (Vultur gryphus), marine
cats (Lutra feline) in danger of
extinction, gulls, pelicans, red
head turkeys buzzard, the black
ostrich, unique species.
The reserve is located basically on
the peninsula and bay of Paracas, it
also has archaeological remains of
the Paracas culture, outstanding the
archaeological locations of "Cabeza
Larga" and "Pampa de Santo Domingo"
where human remains of collectors
and fishermen have been located with
an antiquity of 6,500 BC. There was
found a "quena" [flute] (musical
Peruvian instrument) with decoration
considered as the first musical
instrument of Peru.
PERU NEW DISCOVERY
Calle
Triunfo, 392 Off.210
Arte Inka Shoping Center - Cusco -
Peru
Phono: +51-84-235190
Cell.:
+51-84-984-606757
;
+51-84-984051597
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