Güeppi-Sekime National Park is a protected area located in the

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

vian region of Loreto, on the border with

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

. The park encompasses of forests in a landscape that features hills and seasonally flooded lowlands.

History

The Güeppi Reserved Zone was established in March 1997, initially covering . The name and the extension were modified and was granted a national park status in 2012.

Climate

The park has a warm and humid climate, with an average temperature of and precipitation between 2500 and 2800 mm.

Ecology

Flora

Among the plant species found in the area are: ''

Socratea exorrhiza ''Socratea exorrhiza'', the walking palm or cashapona, is a palm native to rainforests in tropical Central and South America. It can grow to 25 metres in height, with a stem diameter of up to 16 cm, but is more typically 15–20 m tall ...

'', '' Brownea grandiceps'', '' Calyptranthes bipennis, Salvinia auriculata, Cedrela odorata'', '' Phenakospermum guyannense, Mabea speciosa,

Ilex ''Ilex'' (), or holly, is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. ''Ilex'' has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen o ...

inundata'', ''

Warszewiczia coccinea ''Warszewiczia coccinea'' (or chaconia, wild poinsettia and pride of Trinidad and Tobago) is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is the national flower of Trinidad and Tobago because it blooms on 31 August, which coincides wi ...

,'' ''

Ocotea ''Ocotea'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Lauraceae. Many are evergreen trees with lauroid leaves. There are over 520 species currently accepted within the genus, distributed mostly in tropical and subtropical areas of ...

javitensis'', ''

Caryocar glabrum ''Caryocar glabrum'' is a species of tree in the family Caryocaraceae. It is native to South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portio ...

,'' ''

Piper Piper may refer to: People * Piper (given name) * Piper (surname) Arts and entertainment Fictional characters Comics * Piper (Morlock), in the Marvel Universe * Piper (Mutate), in the Marvel Universe Television * Piper Chapman, lea ...

obliquum'', '' Pourouma cecropiifolia,'' '' Handroanthus serratifolius,'' ''

Genipa ''Genipa'' is a genus of trees in the family Rubiaceae. This genus is native to the American tropical forests. Description Tall trees, without any spines, prickles or thorns; with large opposite leaves of almost leathery texture, smooth or ha ...

spruceana, Annona'' spp.'', Lecythis ampla,

Ophiocaryon ''Ophiocaryon'' is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Sabiaceae Sabiaceae is a family of flowering plants that were placed in the order Proteales according to the APG IV system. It comprises three genera, '' Meliosma'', '' Ophioc ...

heterophyllum,

Dieffenbachia ''Dieffenbachia'' , commonly known as dumb cane or leopard lily, is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Araceae. It is native to the New World Tropics from Mexico and the West Indies south to Argentina. Some species are widely cul ...

parvifolia,

Minquartia guianensis ''Minquartia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the Olacaceae family containing the single species ''Minquartia guianensis'' (also called black manwood or huambula). It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Frenc ...

Hymenachne ''Hymenachne'' is a genus of widespread wetlands plants that is in the grass family. They may be known commonly as marsh grasses. They are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, the Americas, and the Pacific Islands.Clarkson, J. ...

donacifolia,

Astrocaryum murumuru ''Astrocaryum murumuru'' (Portuguese common name: murumuru) is a palm native to Amazon Rainforest vegetation in Brazil, which bears edible fruits. ''Murumuru'' butter, extracted from the seeds of the plant, may be used as a moisturizer.One re ...

'', ''

Ficus schippii ''Ficus schippii'' is a species of plant in the family Moraceae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru. References

Ficus, schippii Least concern plants Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Trees of Peru {{Moraceae-stub ...

Calathea ''Calathea'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Marantaceae. They are commonly called calatheas or (like their relatives) prayer plants. About 200 species formerly assigned to ''Calathea'' are now in the genus ''Goeppertia''. C ...

'' spp.'', Cedrelinga cateniformis'', '' Hevea guianensis,

Trichomanes ''Trichomanes'' is a genus of ferns in the family Hymenophyllaceae, termed bristle ferns. The circumscription of the genus is disputed. All ferns in the genus are filmy ferns, with leaf tissue typically 2 cells thick. This thinness generally nec ...

pinnatum,

Miconia ''Miconia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the glory bush family, Melastomataceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. The species are mostly shrubs and small to medium-sized trees up to 15 m tall. The generic name ...

'' spp.'',

Virola surinamensis ''Virola surinamensis'', known commonly as baboonwood, ucuuba, ucuhuba and ''chalviande'',Americas Regional Workshop (Conservation & Sustainable Management of Trees, Costa Rica, November 1996). 1998''Virola surinamensis''.The IUCN Red List of Thr ...

Mauritia flexuosa ''Mauritia flexuosa'', known as the moriche palm, ''ité'' palm, ''ita'', ''buriti'', ''muriti'', ''miriti'' (Brazil), ''canangucho'' (Colombia), ''acho'' (Ecuador), or ''aguaje'' (Peru), is a palm tree. It grows in and near swamps and other wet ...

Tapirira guianensis ''Tapirira guianensis'' is a species of plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to Cerrado and Atlantic Forest (ecoregions) vegetation in Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), ...

,'' etc.

Fauna

There is a large diversity of birds and reptiles such as the black caiman (''Melansosuchus niger''). It is also home to several endangered species such as the jaguar (''Panther onca'') and the

giant otter The giant otter or giant river otter (''Pteronura brasiliensis'') is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to . Atypical of muste ...

(''Pteronura brasuliensis''). This is also a site of the pink river dolphin ('' Inia geoffrensis''), endangered by being used as bait in fishing for mota fish ('' Calophysus macropterus''), despite such practices being illegal. Birds found in the area include: the

golden-green woodpecker The golden-green woodpecker (''Piculus chrysochloros'') is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Panama and every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. ...

, the

sunbittern The sunbittern (''Eurypyga helias'') is a bittern-like bird of tropical regions of the Americas, and the sole member of the family Eurypygidae (sometimes spelled Eurypigidae) and genus ''Eurypyga''. It is found in Central and South America, and ...

, the

king vulture The king vulture (''Sarcoramphus papa'') is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexic ...

, the undulated tinamou, the green ibis, the

harpy eagle The harpy eagle (''Harpia harpyja'') is a neotropical species of eagle. It is also called the American harpy eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan eagle, which is sometimes known as the New Guinea harpy eagle or Papuan harpy eagle. It is the ...

, the

white-necked jacobin The white-necked jacobin (''Florisuga mellivora'') is a medium-size hummingbird that ranges from Mexico south through Central America and northern South America into Brazil, Peru and Bolivia. It is also found in Trinidad & Tobago. Other common ...

, the

white-throated toucan The white-throated toucan (''Ramphastos tucanus'') is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae found in South America throughout the Amazon Basin including the adjacent Tocantins and Araguaia River drainage. It prefers tropical h ...

, the

red-and-green macaw The red-and-green macaw (''Ara chloropterus''), also known as the green-winged macaw, is a large, mostly-red macaw of the genus ''Ara''. This is the largest of the genus ''Ara'', widespread in the forests and woodlands of northern and central ...

, the

red-throated caracara The red-throated caracara (''Ibycter americanus'') is a social species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It is placed in the monotypic genus ''Ibycter'', or sometimes united in ''Daptrius'' with the black caracara. Unique among caracaras ...

, the

muscovy duck The Muscovy duck (''Cairina moschata'') is a large duck native to the Americas, from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United St ...

, the

agami heron The agami heron (''Agamia agami'') is a medium-sized heron. It is a resident breeding bird from Central America south to Peru and Brazil. It is sometimes known as the chestnut-bellied heron, and is the only member of the genus ''Agamia''. In Bra ...

, etc.

Anthropology

Native peoples living within this region include the

Quichua Kichwa (, , also Spanish ) is a Quechuan language that includes all Quechua varieties of Ecuador and Colombia (''Inga''), as well as extensions into Peru. It has an estimated half million speakers. The most widely spoken dialects are Chimborazo ...

, the Secoya and the Bora.

References

* National parks of Peru Geography of Loreto Region Tourist attractions in Loreto Region {{SouthAm-protected-area-stub