This is a list of

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

s in

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Natural heritage

The Constitution of Peru of 1993 recognized the

natural resources Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. O ...

and

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

variety of its country as a heritage. In 1990, the National System of Natural Areas that are protected by the Government (SINANPE) was created.SINANPE list of protected areas
, retrieved 17 July 2012. This entity depends on the National Service of Protected Areas by the State (SERNANP), Ministry of Environment. Peru has 75 natural protected areas (15.21% of the country surface area) that are preserved by the National Government: 12 national parks, 9 national sanctuaries, 4 historical sanctuaries, 15 national reserves, 3 wildlife refuges, 2 landscape reserves, 8 communal reserves, 6 protected forests, 2 hunting enclosed lands and 14 reserved zones. A map was also created containing the natural protected areas. Peru is considered to be among 17 of the most megadiverse countries in the world. With over 1,700 species of birds, it has the world's second most diverse avian community, after

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

.Lambertini, A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics, excerpt
/ref> National Parks are places where the wild

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. E ...

and

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

are protected and preserved. Natural resources exploitation and human settlements are forbidden.

National System of Natural State Protected Areas

National parks

Cutervo Cutervo is a town in northern Peru, capital of both Cutervo District and Cutervo Province The Cutervo Province is one of the thirteen that make up the Cajamarca Region of Peru. It is the home of the Cutervo National Park. It has a population of ...

, created in 1961 and located in

Cajamarca Cajamarca (), also known by the Quechua name, ''Kashamarka'', is the capital and largest city of the Cajamarca Region as well as an important cultural and commercial center in the northern Andes. It is located in the northern highlands of Peru ...

, is the oldest Peruvian National Park. It contains many caves, including the San Andres Cave is a home of the endangered ''guacharo'' (oilbird) and golden quetzal. * Tingo Maria is located in Huanuco Region. Its principal attraction is the Cueva de las Lechuzas ( Owl Cave), another ''guacharo'' habitat. * Manu, located in the Regions of Madre de Dios and Cuzco. In 1977,

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

recognised it as a Reserve of Biosphere; and in 1987, it was pronounced a Natural Heritage of Humanity. * Huascarán is located in Ancash. It was also pronounced a Natural Heritage of Humanity and recognized as Reserve of Biosphere. Peru's highest snow-covered mountain (6,768 m) is found here, also named Huascarán. This park is the habitat of the '' Puya raimondii'', the

cougar The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large Felidae, cat native to the Americas. Its Species distribution, range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mamm ...

, the

jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus '' Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

, the llama, the guanaco, the marsh deer, the Peruvian tapir, the Peruvian piedtail, a

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...

species, and many kinds of

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...

s. * Cerros de Amotape (Amotape Hills) is located in

Piura Piura is a city in northwestern Peru located in the Sechura Desert on the Piura River. It is the capital of the Piura Region and the Piura Province. Its population was 484,475 as of 2017. It was here that Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro fou ...

and Tumbes. It has many dry-climate forests and endangered species such as the American crocodile. * The Abiseo River Park, another Natural and Cultural Heritage of Humanity site, is located in

San Martín San Martín or San Martin may refer to: People Saints * Saint Martin (disambiguation)#People, name of various saints in Spanish Political leaders *Vicente San Martin (1839 -1901), Military, National hero of Mexico. *Basilio San Martin (1849 ...

. * Yanachaga–Chemillén, a tropical forest preservation zone at 4,800 m, is located in Pasco Region. The

Palcazu River The Palcazu River is a river in Peru. It originates at the confluence of the Bocaz and Cacazú rivers which are born in the mountains of the mountain range of San Matías–San Carlos Protection Forest, San Carlos. It flows to Pachitea River. The ...

Huancabamba River The Huancabamba River ("Stony Plain" in the Quechua language) in the Pasco Region of Peru has its origin in the confluence of several small rivers near the town of Oxapampa: the Chontabamba, the Llamaquizú, and the Esperanza rivers. From an ...

Pozuzo River The Pozuzo River is a river in Peru. It has a general course south to north. This basin departmental limit Huánuco is understood between the Yanachaka mountain range to the east and the line - Pasco, for the north-east the line provincial limit Ox ...

and their affluents flows through the park. Some native communities still live in here. There are also archaeological fields from the

Inca The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, (Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The admin ...

and Yanesha cultures. * Bahuaja-Sonene is located in Madre de Dios. It contains

Puno Region Puno () is a department and region in southeastern Peru. It is the fifth largest department in Peru, after Cuzco, Madre de Dios, Ucayali, and Loreto. It is bordered by Bolivia on the east, the departments of Madre de Dios on the north, Cusco ...

's tropical forests, the

Heath Pampas A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a cooler a ...

and part of the

Tambopata National Reserve Tambopata National Reserve ( es, Reserva Nacional Tambopata) is a Peruvian nature reserve located in the southeastern region of Madre de Dios. It was established on September 4, 2000, by decree of President Alberto Fujimori. The reserve protects se ...

. * Cordillera Azul * Otishi * Alto Purús * Ichigkat muja – Cordillera del Condor * Güeppí Sekime *

Sierra del Divisor Sierra del Divisor is a mountain range located in the border between Peru and Brazil, rising up from the Amazonian plain. It is the only mountainous area in the lower Amazonian jungle. In 2015, a 3.3 million-acre area of rainforest in the mounta ...

, created in 2015, is located in Loreto and

Ucayali The Ucayali River ( es, Río Ucayali, ) is the main headstream of the Amazon River. It rises about north of Lake Titicaca, in the Arequipa region of Peru and becomes the Amazon at the confluence of the Marañón close to Nauta city. The city o ...

at the border with

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. * Yaguas, created in 2018, is a tropical forest protection zone along the Yaguas river located in Loreto near the border with

National reserves

Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille The Pampas (from the qu, pampa, meaning "plain") are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all of Uruguay; and Brazil ...

is located in

Ayacucho Ayacucho (, qu, Ayak'uchu) is the capital city of Ayacucho Region and of Huamanga Province, Ayacucho Region, Peru. During the Inca Empire and Viceroyalty of Peru periods the city was known by the name of Huamanga (Quechua: Wamanga), and it c ...

. It is the habitat of the vicuña. * Junin is located in Junín. One of its main purposes is to protect the ecosystem and biodiversity of

Lake Junín Lake Junin (; Spanish ''Lago Junín'', named after the nearby town of Junin) or Chinchaycocha (possibly from Quechua ''chincha, chinchay'' north, northern, ''chinchay'' ocelot, ''qucha'' lake, lagoon, "northern lake" or "ocelot lake") is the larg ...

. * Paracas is located in Ica. Its main purpose is to preserve the sea ecosystem and protect the historical and cultural heritage of the area. * Lachay is located in

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

. Its main purpose is to restore and protect the ecosystem of the

Lomas de Lachay Lachay National Reserve ( es, Reserva Nacional de Lachay) is a protected area in the region of Lima, Peru. The reserve is located north from the Peruvian capital, Lima, and protects part of the lomas ecosystem. Climate Climate at the reserve i ...

(Lachay Hills). *

Titicaca Lake Titicaca (; es, Lago Titicaca ; qu, Titiqaqa Qucha) is a large freshwater lake in the Andes mountains on the border of Bolivia and Peru. It is often called the highest navigable lake in the world. By volume of water and by surface area, i ...

is located in

Puno Puno (Aymara and qu, Punu) is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 140,839 (2015 estimate). The city was establish ...

. Its main purpose is to preserve Lake Titicaca's ecosystems and landscape. * Salinas and Aguada Blanca are located in

Arequipa Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...

and

Moquegua Moquegua (, founded by the Spanish colonists as Villa de Santa Catalina de Guadalcázar del Valle de Moquegua) is a city in southern Peru, located in the Department of Moquegua, of which it is the capital. It is also capital of Mariscal Nieto Pr ...

. Their main purpose is to preserve

and landscape. * Calipuy is located in La Libertad. Its main purpose is to protect guanaco populations. * Pacaya-Samiria is located in Loreto. Its main purpose is to preserve the ecosystems of the

Omagua Omagua or low jungle (''selva baja'' or partially ''tierra caliente'') is one of the eightPulgar Vidal, Javier: Geografía del Perú; Las Ocho Regiones Naturales del Perú. Edit. Universo S.A., Lima 1979. First Edition (his dissertation of 1940): ...

Region and to promote the indigenous towns. * Tambopata * Allpahuayo-Mishana * Tumbes * Matsés National Reserve * System of Islands, Islets and Guano Sites National Reserve * Pucacuro * San Fernando National Reserve

National sanctuaries

National sanctuaries are areas of national importance for the protection of the habitat of specific species of flora and fauna, and natural formations of scientific or scenic interest. * Huayllay * Calipuy * Mejía Lagoons * Ampay * Manglares de Tumbes (" Mangroves of Tumbes") * Megantoni * Pampa Hermosa * Tabacones Namballe * Cordillera de Colán

Historical sanctuaries

* Chacramarca * Pampas de Ayacucho ("Pampas of Ayacucho") *

Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a mountain range.UNESCO World Heritage Centre. It is located in the Machupicchu District within Urubamba Province above the Sacred Valley, which ...

* Pómac Forest

Wildlife refuges

* Laquipampa * Pantanos de Villa * Udima Cloud Forests Wildlife Refuge

Landscape reserves

* Nor Yauyos-Cochas * Cotahuasi Subbasin * Qhapiya Landscape Reserve

Communal reserves

Communal reserves are conservation areas for flora and fauna, allowing traditional use for the rural populations surrounding the areas. The use and marketing of the natural resources within the communal reserve is conducted by the same rural populations.

Protected forests

* Aledaño Bocatoma del Canal Nuevo Imperial ("Adjacent to the Nuevo Imperial Canal Intake") * Puquio Santa Rosa ("Santa Rosa (Water) Spring") * Pui–Pui * San Matías–San Carlos * Pagaibamba * Alto Mayo

Enclosed hunting lands

* El Angolo * Sunchubamba

Reserved zones

* Chancaybaños * Güeppí * Santiago-Comaina *

Waywash mountain range Huayhuash (possibly from Quechua ''waywash'', weasel'','' or ''waywashi'', squirrel) is a mountain range within the Andes of Peru, in the boundaries of the regions of Ancash, Lima and Huánuco.escale.minedu.gob.pe - UGEL map of the Cajatambo Pro ...

* Sierra del Divisor Reserved Zone * Humedales de Puerto Viejo Reserved Zone * Nieva River Reserved Zone * Lomas de Ancón Reserved Zone * Bosque de Zárate Reserved Zone * Illescas Reserved Zone * Yaguas Reserved Zone * Ancón Reserved Zone * Huacachina Reserved Zone

National forests

* Biabo Cordillera Azul * Mariscal Cáceres * Pastaza–Morona–Marañon *

Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 17696 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian minister, p ...

Areas of regional conservation

* Chuqik'iraw * Tamshiyacu Tahuayo *

Titankayuq Titankayuq (Quechua ''titanka'' Puya raimondii, ''-yuq'' a suffix to indicate ownership, "the one with titanka", other spellings ''Titancayoc, Titancayocc, Titankayoc, Titankayocc, Tutanccayoc'') is one of the most important habitats in Peru for ...

Waytapallana Huaytapallana (possibly from in the Quechua spelling ''Waytapallana''; ''wayta'' wild flower, a little bunch of flowers, ''pallay'' to collect, ''pallana'' an instrument to collect fruit / collectable, ''Waytapallana'' "a place where you collec ...

References

External links

*
SERNANP
Official Website {{Peru lists

National parks A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual ...

Protected areas