One of the most beautiful jewels of the Peruvian Amazon is the Tambopata National Reserve. Located in Madre de Dios, it was created in 2000 with the objectives of protecting the wild flora and fauna, the scenic beauty of a sample of subtropical humid forest; as well as promoting conservation processes that ensure the sustainable use of natural resources.
This protected natural area is located in the lower middle part of the Tambopata river basin, which has one of the highest rates of biological diversity in the world.
Among its ecosystems we find aguajales, swamps, pacales and riparian forests, which due to their physical characteristics allow the local inhabitants to take advantage of natural resources. On the south side, the reserve is next to the Bahuaja Sonene National Park; forming with it a highly important protection space for the country.
Exceptional Biological Diversity
In Tambopata there are more than 1,200 species of butterflies, 103 amphibians, 180 fish, 169 mammals and 103 reptiles. Likewise, the presence of 632 species of birds has been reported, among which the harpy eagle, the unicorn curassow, the carunculated curassow stand out; as well as almost all the species of macaws that inhabit Peru.
In addition, it houses mainly aquatic habitats that are used as stopovers for more than 40 species of transcontinental migratory birds.
As for mammals, the presence of primates such as the maquisapa, the woolly monkey, the white machin stands out; as well as other species of mammals such as the sachavaca, the peccary, the red deer and the sloths with two and three fingers.
In addition, this national reserve houses healthy habitats that serve for the recovery and refuge of threatened populations of species such as the river wolf, the otter and felines such as the jaguarundi, the puma, the jaguar, the ocelot or margay and the margay.
In this natural area there are also different types of vegetation, among the main plant associations are the aguajales in the sedimentation plains, the pacales, the terrace forests and the gallery forests. 17 plant associations have been identified by forest type and a total of 1,255 plant species.
Tambopata and Its Attractions
The most visited place in this reserve is Lake Sandoval, which is approximately 3 km long, 1 km wide and up to 3 m deep.
It is located in the Madre de Dios River basin and is surrounded by palm trees that are home to macaws, toucans and cormorants. In its waters you can go on boat rides while enjoying the presence of river otters, otters and turtles.
Another important attraction is Sachavacayoc, one of the most beautiful lakes in the peruvian jungle, which stands out for its abundant palm trees where macaws nest between the months of November and February. In its clear waters, approximately three meters deep, the sachavaca usually takes baths.
Within Tambopata, there are towers over 30 meters high that help to better observe the landscape and understand the role of forests on the planet. Likewise, navigating the river, you will find the El Gato creek with its waterfall. Very close to there are the Baltimorillo rapids.
The Clay Licks in the Tambopata National Reserve
If there is something that has made this reserve famous, it is its spectacular clay licks. They are located on the banks of the rivers and congregate a large number of birds such as macaws, hawks and parrots, offering a multicolored and sound show (especially between 5:30 and 9:00 a.m.).
Likewise, in the mountain or inland clay licks it is possible to see, generally at night, some mammals such as peccaries, peccaries and sachavacas.
The collpas that are located on the left bank of the Tambopata River, the Chuncho and Colorado, stand out, the latter being the largest known clay lick in the entire Peruvian Amazon.