VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE

In Cuzco there are recognized a diversity of ecological floors, each one of them with its characteristic species. In the deep gorges and intermediate zones the forests formed by several arboreal species, coniferous and latifoliaded are typical. In the low zones are arboreal ferns, reeds, alders and ornamental plants with season flowers. In the Machu Picchu zone there has been identified 90 species of orchids. In the Quechua and Puna zones ichu, queuña, waqo, achupalla of mount, raqui-raqui, moqo-moqo, jucucha, huejontoy, tabaquillo, the paico and tintín, predominates. The Huacarpay lagoon, 25 km south of Cusco, is the best birds observatory of the department.

In the high Andean plateaus there are herds of vicunas and rodents like the guinea pig, the weasel and vizcacha. Between the birds, in addition to the abundance of partridges, there are wanderers, buzzards, kunturs and eagles. In the rivers and lagoons there are Andean gooses or huallpas and some variety of ducks. There are also trouts and silversides, two nonnative species. The Suche, native species in danger of extinction, has certain presence in Cuzco. In the forest inhabits a big variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and butterflies, as well as aboundant fish in the rivers that drain the territory, like the huita and the sardine.

Species of the historical sanctuary of Machu Picchu

The Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu was settled down in the province of Urubamba with an extension of 32,592 hectares, by Supreme Decree 001-81-AG of the 8 of January of 1981,it is recognized by UNESCO like cultural patrimony of the humanity. Its objective is not only to protect the geological formations and famous archaeological rests of the zone, but also to conserve the flora, fauna and landscape beauty that live there, between the 1,800 and 6,270 meters above of the sea level.

The main vegetal species are the orchids (more than 30 generes and 90 species), bromeliads and palms of high altitude, in addition to other arboreal species. The most important birds are the “gallito de las rocas” (little rooster of the rocks) or tunqui (vulnerable species), the duck of torrents, the Andean kuntur and several species of hummingbirds. The representative fauna is conformed by the spectacled bear or ucumari (vulnerable species), bobcats (vulnerable species), the taruca, otters, weasels, pumas, ocelots, the ferret and vizcacha.

The department of Cusco also includes extensions that belong to the Manu National Park, which has its main accesses in the department of Madre de Dios.