Endangered Animals of Peru

Animals are considered endangered when they are atits declining numbers may include reduction of prey,
risk of extinction, either because there are only aharvesting of plants that their prey is dependent on,
small number of them left, due to threats fromand hunting by humans. The Yellow Tailed Woolly
changes to their environment, shifting of predator toMonkey, (Oreonax flavicauda), is a rare primate
prey ratios, and other factors. Nations over the lastspecies found only in the Peruvian Andes. There are
50 years have developed laws to protect speciesless than 250 of these monkeys left in the northern
form becoming extinct; however few species actuallyPeruvian cloud forests. They have thick hair and long
get on these lists. Many become extinct without theprehensile tails. They eat fruits, leaves, flowers, and
attention or protection of humans, though it is truebuds. Loss of habitat due to destruction of forests
that in probably all cases over the last century, thefor agriculture and cattle-ranching has contributed to
machinations of humans have caused the imbalancesthe critically endangered status of these monkeys.
that have led to the disappearance of thousands ofThe Amazon Pink River Dolphin, (Inia Geoffrensis),
animal and plant species. Especially within the lastknown as boutu by the inhabitants of the jungle, is
century and a half, species have been becomingclassified as a vulnerable species on the endangered
extinct at a higher rate than at any time in history. Inspecies list. It is one of only five species of
the case of the Amazon Rainforest, which coversfreshwater dolphins in the world. It inhabits muddy
parts of Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Boliviarivers, relying on echolocation to hunt for prey. These
and Brazil, the loss of habitat created by farmersdolphins may be pink or pale blue; they are often
who cut down trees and burn whole tracts of junglealbino. Factors threatening these unique animals
for cattle grazing and crop production, may result ininclude damming, building canals and diversion of river
unknowable consequences for the entire planet. Thecourses. The Three-Toed Sloth (Bradypus
Amazon has been called the lungs of the planet, andVariegatus), the smaller member of the sloth family,
its further destruction could accelerate globalinhabits the Amazon rainforests of Peru, Ecuador,
warming, with devastating consequences for humansColombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina. It is the
and most of the species on Earth. Some endangeredslowest moving mammal on Earth, and is
species of Peru are: The Andean Condor: (Vulturphysiologically incapable of keeping its body
Gryphus) was put on the Endangered Species list intemperature stable. In this way, it resembles snakes
1973 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Theseand other reptiles. It moves so slowly that algae
majestic birds are found in the Andes Mountains, andgrows on its fur, giving it an iridescent green glow at
along the coast of Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile,night. It is only able to live in warm, humid
Colombia and Bolivia. Factors in their endangermentenvironments. Because of the encroachment of
include hunting, deforestation, air pollution and foodhumans into their habitat, these creatures are
and water contamination, as well as reduction inpotentially endangered. The Marvelous Spatuletail
available food supply (declining populations of prey).Hummingbird, (Colibrí Admirable), is a species of
Their slow reproductive rate is also a factor, as theyhummingbird that is found only in the jungles of
lay eggs only every second year. There is not yet anNorthern Peru. The species is unique because it has
accurate census of the numbers left, though thereonly four tail feathers, two of which end in
are believed to be only a few thousand left in thespoon-shaped "spatules;" each of the two feathers
wild The Amazonian Manatee, (Trichechus inunguis), isresembling a spatula, with an elongated "handle" and
a freshwater species of manatee, found throughoutthe round "spatula" part at the end. The males use
the northern Amazon River Basin and its tributaries. Ittheir tails in a fascinating courtship display, during
is the smallest of the three manatee species, and awhich they whirl their tails and perform acrobatics to
few are found in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Allimpress females. They have been considered
manatees are entirely aquatic mammals that do notendangered since 2000, and has been declared the
leave the water for the duration of their life cycle."regional bird" for the Amazon region of Peru. There
They feed on plants and water vegetation, and areare many ways in which we can take steps to help
gentle, non-aggressive animals with flippers asour environment and endangered species, some of
forelimbs and no hind limbs; rather they possess awhich can start right at home. We can take simple
flat, cylindrical shaped tail. Factors in their endangeredsteps to reduce the amount of energy we consume,
status include hunting, drowning in fishing nets, andsuch as washing our clothes in cold water and turning
loss of food supply resulting from deforestation. Theoff lights when we leave a room. We can also join
Andean Cat, (Oreailurus jacobita) considered amongwith and support organizations who are actively
the five most endangered cats in the world, isinvolved in helping the rainforest, such as Kuoda
considered critically endangered. It is found in the highTours brings travelers to remote regions of the
regions of Peru, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, and isAmazon where they can see the rainforest firsthand
one of the shyest and least known cats in existence.and gain a greater understanding of this vital area and
About the size of a housecat, Andean Cats feed onthe amazing diversity of species therein. We have a
several classes of mice, small birds and rodents. Alongvariety of special interest and activities, including bird
with the Pampas cat, (Oncifelis colocolo), it is knownwatching and jungle trekking.
as "osqhollo" by the Quechua. Factors contributing to