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There are in total 33 species of sea mammals in Peru., ranging from
the small otters which live amongst the rocks along inaccessible
beaches to the huge whales which frolic in the open sea. Scientists
have classified them in nine families, the largest of which
are the otarids (sea lions) and delphinids (dolphins).
The most commonly-spotted mammals along the Peruvian coast
are the sea lions. Two different species share the coastline
lapped by the cold Humboldt sea current: the droll sea lion
(Otaria byronia), which can weigh up to 300 kg and which prefer
sandy beaches, and fine sea lions (Arctocephalus australis),
with a slimmer body and which tend to gather in the rocky
outcrops and inaccessible cliffs that litter the coastline.
Both species reproduce from November to March, which are ideal
months for observation.
The best places for spotting sea lions is along the south
coast: the National Paracas Reserve, in the department of
Ica, features major sea lion colonies on the Ballestas Islands,
Punta Arquillo and Morro Quemado, which gather the largest
number of sea lions anywhere in the country.
The same area is a refuge for the elusive marine wildcat and
the chingungo, a beaver that lives amongst the rocks and rarely-visited
beaches of the central coast and south of Peru. The beaches
of Mendieta and La Catedral are home to the largest population
of this species, currently on the endangered list.
A little further south lies Punta San Juan, a reserved zone
established to protect the nesting grounds for guano birds,
Humboldt penguins and a large colony of sea lions.
Cetaceans, meanwhile, are also commonly found in Peruvian
waters. Various species of dolphins such as the bottle-nosed
or common dolphin, as well as marsopas are habitual residents
of the shallow waters of the coastline.
All species of cetaceans in Peru are protected by law. Fishing,
consumption and trading of products derived from dolphins
is strictly prohibited. |
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