Endangered Animals in Peru

Amazon rainforests are considered as the lungs of the planet earth. It is home to a large number of animal species. The wildlife area in Peru is part of Amazon rainforests. The human destructive activities have endangered the Amazon River basin ecosystem, and its further destruction will accelerate global warming. This is going to affect everybody, which includes the humans as well as the endangered animals.

Here, we discuss about some endangered animals in Peru:

The Andean Mountain Cat: This endangered animal is among the five most endangered cats in the world. It is found to live in the high altitudes of 11,500 to 15,700 feet in the Andes Mountain. It is a shy animal, and is about the size of a house cat. It feeds on several species of mice, rodents, and birds. All of them are in the wild as there are none in captivity.

The declining number of the Andean mountain cats is due to reduction in numbers of their prey. The harvesting of plants, on which their prey, feed has caused a decline in the numbers of their prey. Moreover, this endangered animal is hunted by the humans for traditional ceremonial purposes. In addition to it, they are considered to bring bad luck, and are therefore killed in Bolivia and Chile.

The Yellow-Tailed Woolly Monkey: It is one of the world's most endangered and rare primate species. It is found only in the Peruvian Andes in altitudes ranging from 4,900 to 8,900 feet. It is believed that less than 250 of them are left in the wilderness of northern Peruvian cloud forests. They are fond of eating fruits, leaves, flowers, and buds.

They are categorized as critically endangered because of their fewer numbers. Habitat loss and cattle-ranching are the main reasons for their endangerment. Economic development, expansion of agricultural lands, deforestation, logging, and mining activities has made them endangered animals in Peru.

The Andean Condor: They are listed as endangered animals in 1973 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. They are the most majestic of the birds found in the Andes Mountains. They are found to nest in the mountainous region in the Andean range. Only a few thousand of them are left in the wild.

Hunting for medicinal remedies, deforestation and encroachment of lands, pollution caused due to mining and industrial developments, contamination of food and water, and reduced food supply have caused them to become endangered animals. Moreover, a low reproductive rate has added to their problem.

The Amazon Pink River Dolphin: They are classified as vulnerable, and are one of the only five species of freshwater dolphins in the world. They are called boutu by the inhabitants, and may be pink or pale blue. They live in muddy river-waters. Building of canals, construction of dams, and diversion of river courses has endangered their existence.

In the same way, many other endangered animals such as the Amazonian manatee, the Three-toed sloth, etc. are threatened for their existence primarily due to habitat loss.

Therefore, many endangered animals in Peru are protected under the animal laws framed by the Peruvian government and international organizations.