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The Junín National Reserve is located in Junín plains or
the Bombón plateau, 4,100 meters above sea level and has an expansion
of 53,000 hectares, between the regions of Junín (districts
of Carhuamayo, Ondores and Junín, in the Junín Province)
and Pasco (districts of Ninacaca and Vicco in the Province of Cerro
de Pasco).
The Junín Lake, also known as Chinchaycocha, is the second
oldest lake of Perú after Titicaca and occupies a large area of
the reserve, which contains great expansions of marshes, patches
of cattails and open waters where 10,000 aquatic birds, wild guinea
pig, and Andean cats live among others.
There only exist a few places in Perú where it is possible to observe
so many aquatic birds at the height of the Andeas together: European
coot, giant water pullets, flamingos, more than 10 species of ducks,
the Andean long-billed wading bird, and the Andean gander goose
among others.
The Junín Lake is characterized for having a great diversity of
birds. Among them we can find Junin Flightless Grebes (Podiceps
taczanowskii) one of the most important species of the lake, because
they are endemic and in danger of extinction. There are also
36 other species representing the Andean region, among them exist;
the speckled teal (Anas flavirostris), the Yellow-Billed Pintail
(Anas georgica), Anas Puna (Anas puna), the Andean Goose (Chloephaga
melanoptera), the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), the Common Moorhen
(Gallinula chloropus), the Andean Gull (Larus serranus), the Black-Crowned
Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), the Chilean Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus chilensis), the Puna Ibis (Plegadis ridgwayi) and
the Silvery Grebe (Podiceps occipitalis).
The most common mammal found in the Junín National Reserve is the
wild guinea pig (Cavia tschuddii), which lives in the small islets
of cattail and is the only guinea pig specie present in the reserve.
Other important mammal species which you can find among the outcropping
of rocks are the Culpeo Fox (Pseudalopex culpaeus), the Hog-Nosed
Skunk (Conepatus chinga) and the vizcacha (Lagidium peruanum). The
Junín Lake also contains populations of frogs which are appreciated
for their flesh, like: the Bufonidae (Bufo spinulosus) which lives
along the shores of the lake.
Among the fish exist the Orestias elegans and O. empyraeus
and a type of catfish, Pigydium oroyae.
The lake with it's adjacent areas show a variety of emerging and
submerging plants which are composed of vegetable formations unique
to the area. The predominate vegetation is represented by Poaceae
distributed through shrub, like the clematis (Calamagrostis
sp.), the Fescue (Festuca sp.) and a type of Andean grass (Juncus
andicola), which forms islets where species develop such as the
California Brush (Scirpus californicus).
Location
Junín Region. In the extreme south of the reserve.
How to get there
From La Oroya, head north on the highway until Junín.
When to Go
Between April and November
Other close attractions
Ondores, Santuario Histórico de Chacamarca, Junín,
Carhuamayo.
Activities
Photograghy, observation of wild life.
Climate
Typical climate for the sierra.
Prices
Adult: dailyPEN 5,00 (in
USD), for three days PEN 10,00 (in
USD)
Child: daily PEN 1,5 (in
USD), for three days PEN 4,00 (in
USD) |
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