The Andean vegetation surrounds one of the deepest canyons in the world: the Colca Canyon, home and kingdom of the andean condor, absolute lord of these incredibly blue skies.
Even so, visitors await him every morning, from the first ray of sun in El Mirador de la Cruz del Condor, with their cameras ready. The lord of heaven is worth it.
Not many people have the luxury of seeing its flight and those who can are amazed at its harmony. The Andean condor is considered a sacred bird and many generations of different cultures that have inhabited Peru have been amazed at its imposing beauty. Let’s learn a little more about this Peruvian bird.
The Andean Condor is the largest bird in the world with approximately 1.4 m in height and up to more than 3.3 meters in wingspan. Its body is black and in the neck area it has white feathers. His head is red and scares all prey. Added to its imposing presence, is its great sense of smell. This allows you to sniff out your food from miles away while in the air and on the move.
These extraordinary birds can live in very high areas with mountainous regions. Among these places are the Colca Valley in Arequipa, the Moyobamba canyon in Ayacucho or Chonta, located in Cusco.
Many condors have also been sighted in coastal areas, near the sea. Outside of Peru, they can be found throughout the Andes, from Colombia to Chile. They can be seen in areas of Argentina, Ecuador and much of Bolivia.
In Cusco, the most frequent place for condor sightings is the Mirador de Chonta. This is also known as the Sanctuary of the Condors. It is located at more than 3,400 meters above sea level. It is one of the best known viewpoints and many tourists travel to the area just to see these incredible birds. Best of all is the beautiful landscape that can be seen when you reach the viewpoint.
Another important place with a high presence of Condors is the Mirador Cruz del Cóndor. This is located at 4 160 m.a.s.l. in the Colca Valley in Arequipa and the distance between the viewer and these birds is quite short, so everyone will be surprised.
In addition, you can see falcons and mountain partridges. In Arequipa there is also the Salinas de Aguada Blanca Reserve that it shares with Moquegua. In this incredible place, the viewpoint, at more than 4,300 meters above sea level, allows you to appreciate Andean ducks, flamingos, condors, cats and Andean foxes, among other animals.
As well as these, there are also more places in Peru, where we can see this wonderful flying bird. In Puno, for example, there are many attractions with condor monuments. This is because the condors are highly admired also, one of the most faithful species. It is said that they can be with the same partner for life. In addition, they play a very important role in the ecological cycle since condors are scavengers. In this way, they accelerate the decomposition process of animal waste.
Without a doubt, the Andean Condor is a surprising animal and represents very well the diversity of Peruvian fauna in the world. This bird is protected nationally and internationally. In our country, to pay homage to this imposing animal and remember the importance of its protection, it was included in the Endangered Wild Fauna Numismatic Series. For this reason, it appears on some one sol coins.