Tambopata is one of the world’s most biodiverse places
04 December 2021 (615 visits)A must-see holiday destination for lovers of the natural world, Tambopata National Reserve is home to unmatched biological diversity that attracts thousands of visitors from Peru and overseas each year.
Tambopata National Reserve was established in September 2000. Covering more than 274,000 hectares (677,000 acres), this protected natural area lies within the departments of Madre de Dios and Puno, in southeastern Peru’s Amazon basin.
Tambopata’s protected status ensures that the typical fauna and flora of Peru’s tropical rainforests can thrive, while in surrounding areas of forest the ecological processes unique to the Amazon basin are threatened by human activity in the form of colonization, deforestation, logging and illegal mining operations.
The ecosystems of the Tambopata area are remarkable for their aquatic habitats. Water sources are among the best places in the rainforest for the observation of Amazon fauna. In addition to hundreds of local species, the bodies of water within the Reserve welcome more than forty species of intercontinental migratory birds.
Because it protects species of fauna that are endangered across other parts of South America’s tropical forests, and because it is so easily accessed via scheduled flights from Cusco and Lima, Tambopata is the ultimate travel destination for those dreaming of experiencing the teeming life of the Amazon basin.
It is the variety of ecosystems within the Reserve which accounts for the extraordinary biological diversity it harbors throughout its territory. Tambopata National Reserve and its buffer zone are home to eight different types of forest, and each of these habitats offers the unique conditions required by an incredible variety of Amazon flora and fauna.
During the rainforest ecotourism excursions that we offer at Tambopata Ecolodge, our eco-lodge guests can hope to observe animals which are now extremely rare in other, less well-protected parts of South America’s Amazon basin. These include jaguars, ocelots, anacondas, giant river otters, capybaras and tapirs. Birdlife is particularly abundant in Tambopata, with more than 600 species reported within the boundaries of the National Reserve. In fact, researchers have recorded some 632 species of birds, 1200 butterflies, 103 of amphibians, more than 200 fish, 169 mammals and 103 reptile species in Tambopata.
Most famously, Tambopata is also home to almost every species of macaw found in Peru. The National Reserve’s macaw and parrot clay licks are among its most spectacular attractions, with hundreds of these colorful and noisy birds gathering at these riverside locations to feed on the mineral deposits they require as part of their diet.
