Manu National Park

Macaws	Parrots flying	Otorongo

Manu, located in the southern orient of Peru, is one of the largest parks in South America. The area of the park encompasses parts of the Andean department of Cusco and the jungle department of Madre de Dios. Manu protects over 2 million hectares (4.5 million acres) of territory rich in flora and fauna species in a variety of habitats including high Andes, cloud forests, and lowland tropical rain forests.

This natural paradise is officially recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. In 1977 they designated Manu as a World Biosphere Reserve because it contains the best existing example of biodiversity in protected areas of rain forest, as well as endemic areas of cloud forest. The majority of forests in the world have been altered by humans. Fortunately, Manu has remained intact and untouched by civilization.

Thus, we can observe a variety of animals in their natural habitats, including: Giant Otters (Pteronura brasilensis), Black Caiman (Melanosuchus niger), the majestic Jaguar (Panthera onca), the strange Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the Tapir (Tapirus terrestris), the Ocelot (Felis pardalis), 13 species of primates, and an estimated one thousand species of birds including seven Macaws (Ara spp.).

Manu also contains 10% of the world's vascular plant species, including several species of figs and palms, as well as countless species of medicinal plants that scientists are currently cataloguing. A single hectare of forest in Manu can have up to 220 species of trees, while a hectare of temperate forest in Europe or North America may only have 20 tree species. The Manu National Park may be the most biological diverse and protected park on the planet.

Intangible Zone

This is the biggest part of the Park, covering an extension of 1'800, 000 hectares of pristine forest.

A few protected areas in the world are as large as this Intangible Zone and non of them is as pristine as rich in wildlife species.

In this area tourism is not permitted and for that matter any other activity, except Scientific research at the Biological Station of Cocha Cashu where for the last 25 years peruvian and international scientists have been conducting investigation projects on flora and fauna.

There are serveral ethnic groups such as Matshiguenkas/Kugapacoris, Yoras/Yaminahuas, Mashco Piros, Amahuacas and others, some of this groups don't have any contact with the outside world.

Macaw Lick

On the Madre de Dios River about two and a half hours going down stream from Boca Manu town, can be founded the macaw clay-lick in the world hosting daily one of the most spectacular natural phenomenon in Amazonia.

After the first morning sun begin to hit the eroded river bank (actually a cliff face) hundreds of parrots and macaws belonging to ten or more species arrive and alight in nearby trees.

They arrive in discrete pairs or in flocks hundreds strong, depending on the species.

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