The variety of climatic situations corresponds to that of plant formations. In the coastal desert strip, the oases at the river outlets dot the foothills area, which is otherwise covered by a shrubby steppe with carob trees (algarrobos); towards the coast, the desert environment also hosts sparse formations of Cactaceae and, at the time of the garúas, an ephemeral vegetation of flowers and epiphytes called loma. Going up on the arid Andean side, the vegetation is slightly enriched: in the wetter valleys there are riparian formations (poplars, etc.) and above 1000 m new xerophilous species appear, such as Cereus, Heliotropium, etc. In the elevated basins of the Andes we find the fescue steppe and other grasses typical of puna, which in the area of Lake Titicaca has some eucalyptus, a plant that also adapts to these altitudes. The vegetation is gradually enriched going down towards the east. The forest species go into the valleys up to almost 3000 m and a little further below are luxuriant vegetal aspects, those typical of the Montaña, with great variety of species, including the chinchona, from whose bark quinine is extracted. Around 2000 m, in the so-called Ceja de Montaña (edge of the mountain forest), the plant environment is extremely rich in essences; in various areas the exploitation of the rich and precious local wood is underway, in particular mahogany, cedar, rosewood, etc. The fauna that characterizes the higher areas is typical of the other Andean regions, and there are llamas, vicuna, alpaca, viscacha, huemul (Hippocamelus antisiensis), puma, spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), guanaco and, among the birds, the suri, or Darwin’s rhea (Pterocnemia pennata) and the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), while various mammals are widespread in the forests including monkeys, tapir, peccaries, giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), jaguar, as well as reptiles and birds. Coastal areas abound in birds, some of which are migratory, such as the Franklin’s gull, the white-cheeked pintail (Anas bahamensis), the three- toed sandpiper (Calidris alba), the Andean coot (Fulica ardesiaca) and the moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) and the presence of endangered species such as sea turtles is reported. The greatest environmental risks for a country like Peru relate to deforestation, often practiced illegally by private companies interested in the exploitation of precious wood, which jeopardizes the efforts to safeguard the flora and fauna heritage. Peru is a country of South America defined by estatelearning, com.
The great conurbation of Lima also suffers from severe water and air pollution problems. The national system for the protected areas of the state (SINANPE) is managed by an agency of INRENA – the body of the Ministry responsible for the administration of natural resources – and involves various actors in the management of local heritage protection projects, at national, regional, municipal level, as well as private organizations. The SINANPE complex covers an area equal to 18.3% of the country’s surface and is divided into over 80 sites, including 18 national parks and various areas of historical and landscape interest. In the 1980s, UNESCO declared two Peruvian naturalistic sites as World Heritage Sites: the Huascarán National Park (1985) and the Manú National Park (1987). The first, of particular geological interest, includes 340,000 hectares of forest and steppe located between 2500 and 6700 m of altitude in the Cordillera Blanca, between glaciers, lakes, gorges and streams. The second, much larger, encompasses over 1.5 million hectares, almost the entire basin of the river of the same name, from its source at 4200 m on the eastern flank of the Andes to 150 m, in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. humanity two Peruvian natural sites: the Huascarán National Park (1985) and the Manú National Park (1987). The first, of particular geological interest, includes 340,000 hectares of forest and steppe located between 2500 and 6700 m of altitude in the Cordillera Blanca, between glaciers, lakes, gorges and streams. The second, much larger, encompasses over 1.5 million hectares, almost the entire basin of the river of the same name, from its source at 4200 m on the eastern flank of the Andes to 150 m, in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. humanity two Peruvian natural sites: the Huascarán National Park (1985) and the Manú National Park (1987). The first, of particular geological interest, includes 340,000 hectares of forest and steppe located between 2500 and 6700 m of altitude in the Cordillera Blanca, between glaciers, lakes, gorges and streams. The second, much larger, encompasses over 1.5 million hectares, almost the entire basin of the river of the same name, from its source at 4200 m on the eastern flank of the Andes to 150 m, in the middle of the Amazon rainforest.