The Flora and Fauna in Cusco is recognized for a great diversity of ecological floors, where each one of them has characteristic species of the area.
As for the deep ravines and intermediate zones, the forests formed by various tree species, coniferous and broadleaved, are typical.
In the lower areas there are tree ferns, reedbeds, alders and ornamental plants with seasonal flowers.
In the area of Machu Picchu, 90 species of orchids have been identified.
In the Quechua and Puna zone, ichu, queñua, waqo, achupalla de monte, raqui-raqui, moqo-moqo, jucucha, huejontoy, tabaquillo, paico and tintin predominate.
Lake Huacarpay, 25 km south of Cusco, is the best bird observatory in the department, an ideal place to observe part of Cusco’s fauna.
In the high Andean plateaus there are herds of vicuñas and rodents such as the guinea pig, the weasel and the vizcacha. Among the birds, in addition to the abundance of partridges, the swallows, the buzzard, the condor and the eagle stand out. In the rivers and lagoons the Andean goose or huallpa and a variety of ducks are present.
Also You Can Find:
Trout and silverside: two non-native species.
The suche: native species in danger of extinction, has a certain presence in this department.
A wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and butterflies live in its jungle, as well as abundant fish in the rivers that drain the territory, such as the huita and the sardine.
Flora and fauna in Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is located in a region corresponding to the High Forest or Ceja de Selva. It is an area with great environmental heterogeneity, which together with its abrupt orographic relief and its climatic regime, make possible the existence of numerous life zones, according to the Holdridge classification system, between 2,000 and 6,000 meters above sea level.
Flora in Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is made up of various species of trees, ferns, herbs, mosses and scrub plants.
The pisonay and the alder, the latter a very popular leafy tree throughout the Peruvian highlands, we can also find several species of conifers and broad-leaved trees that can reach several meters in height.
Machu Picchu has a large number of orchids, flowers that have been appreciated since pre-Columbian times for their infinite shapes and variety of colors.
Wildlife in Machu Picchu
Some of the animals that inhabit Machu Picchu, especially interesting for their adaptations to the environment, are still abundant, such as the torrent duck or the dipper.
Others are extremely rare or in serious danger of extinction, such as the Andean bear or ucumari, the cock-of-the-rock, the dwarf deer or taka taruka, the paca, the emerald boa, an infinity of exotic butterflies, the tigrillos, the rare jaguarundi, among others.
The richness of the Flora and Fauna of Cusco makes this a potentially tourist department, which is why if you plan to travel to Peru, keep in mind this great department of Peru. Cusco and Machu Picchu wait for you!