The 10 most fascinating native animals of Peru

Peru is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the entire planet. This makes it a perfect destiny for nature lovers, who can find animals never before seen in our territory.

If you are going to travel to Peru and plan to explore our country to the fullest, keep your eyes open and discover the most fascinating native animals. Do you want to know them? Keep reading!

Peruvian dog

It is not necessary to go into the most recondite places of our nature to know some of the typical animals of Peru. It is enough to take a walk along the Miraflores boardwalk or through the streets of Barranco to meet the Peruvian dog.

This animal, that was declared Patrimony of the Peruvian Nation in 2001, will call your attention because it does not have hair in the whole body, only a small crest in the head.

Cock of the Rocks

The orange of the Cock of the Rocks makes it an especially striking bird among all you can find in the Peruvian forests. It inhabits in protected natural areas such as the Manu National Park and it is considered the national bird of Peru.

If you find one of these orange birds, you should know that it is a male, since the females are a much more muted brown.

Spectacled Bear

The spectacled bear or Andean bear is the only bear that lives in South America. It lives in the humid and fog forests of the Andes, in territories that reach 4500 meters above sea level, which makes it difficult to find one of them.

However, when they don’t find food, spectacled bears go down to 500 above sea level to look for it, so, if you are lucky, you will be able to spot some of them in your trips to the interior of the country.

Humboldt penguins

Can you imagine penguins living in the desert? Yes, in Peru they exist! It is the Humboldt penguins, a common species among the waters of the Pacific coast.

If you are a lover of these nice animals, you will have to visit the Island of San Lorenzo in Callao (Lima) or move to the Ballestas Islands, in Ica, where the Humboldt penguins share space with sea lions and countless birds.

Pink dolphin

If visiting the Amazon is on the list of any traveler, being able to bathe in its waters while you watch pink dolphins swimming is a dream that you can make reality in Peru.

In the department of Loreto and especially in the Iquitos region you will be able to discover the wilder side of the Peruvian jungle, where the affluent rivers of the Amazon are home to this particular breed of dolphins.

With up to 2.5 meters in length, the pink dolphins, which are born gray but are turning pink over the years, are the largest river dolphins in the world and they can only be found in the South American continent.

Condor

The Andes are also the habitat of the largest non-aquatic bird in the world. It is the Condor, which can weigh up to 15 kilos and its wings, when extended, measure up to 3 meters long.

Seeing the Condor flying is an unforgettable experience that you can experience from different viewpoints of the Peruvian highlands, such as the Colca Canyon in Arequipa or the Condor Sightseeing in Cusco.

Llama

The best known among all the camelids that live in Peru. For hundreds of years, the llama has been part of the daily life of Peruvians, even becoming a pet.

It inhabits the area of ​​the Andes at altitudes that can exceed 4000 meters above sea level and its wool is used commercially to make clothing and other textiles.

In recent years, the llama has gained worldwide fame. Being able to approach them is one of the favorite moments of tourists who visit our country. Between the streets of Machu Picchu you can find this animal that will become the perfect model for your photos of the citadel.

Vicuna and alpaca

Although the llama is the best known camelid of Peru, we can not talk about this type of animals without mentioning the vicuna and the alpaca.

The alpaca is very similar physically to the llama and, like it, its wool is used for the creation of diverse high quality textile products and very coveted both in Peru and abroad. In addition, alpaca meat is consumed by, mainly, the inhabitants of the Andean region of our country. Do you dare to try it?

The vicuna, on the other hand, has much shorter hair and its wool is famous for being the finest in the world. The importance of the vicuna in Peru is such that this animal is included in the Peruvian shield.

Cuy

This rodent mammal native to Peru is both a domestic animal and a main ingredient in a food dish.

If you are one of those people who like to try new (and extravagant) meals in all the countries you visit, we recommend you to order a plate of cuy or guinea pig, which is served with the full animal opened in half and accompanied by potatoes and corn. Few dare to try it!