| Manu National Park | |
|---|---|
 View of a riverbank in Manu National Park | |
  Location within Peru | |
| Location | Peru Madre de Dios Region,Cusco Region |
| Nearest city | Cusco |
| Coordinates | 11°51′23″S71°43′17″W / 11.85639°S 71.72139°W /-11.85639; -71.72139 |
| Area | 17,162.95 km2 (6,626.65 sq mi) |
| Established | May 29, 1973 (by 644-73-AG) |
| Governing body | SERNANP |
| Website | Parque Nacional del Manu |
| Criteria | Natural: (ix), (x) |
| Reference | 402bis |
| Inscription | 1987 (11thSession) |
| Extensions | 2009 |
Manu National Park (Spanish:Parque Nacional del Manu) is anational park andbiosphere reserve located in the regions ofMadre de Dios andCusco inPeru.[1] It protects a diverse number of ecosystems including lowland rainforests,cloud forests and Andeangrasslands.[1]
Manu National Park was established by decree on 29 May 1973; during the dictatorship of GeneralJuan Velasco.[1][2] In 1977,UNESCO recognised it as aBiosphere Reserve and in 1987, as aWorld Heritage Site.[1] In 2002, the Peruvian government increased the extension of the park to its current area.[3]
Manu National Park covers an area of 1,716,295.22 hectares (17,162.95 km2) which comprises mountainous areas (traversed by creeks and valleys) with elevations close to 4000 m above sea level and a portion of the Amazon Basin plains.[1]
The national park is divided in the following areas: the restricted use zone (with pristine forests and native communities, access is granted to researchers only); the reserved zone (for recreation and research); the recuperation zone (for the recovery of disturbed areas) and the cultural zone (for human settlement and most activities including nature tourism).[4][5]
The 190 kilometres (120 mi) Manu road is the only link between the highlands of the park and the lowlands where the mouth of theManu River is located.[6]
Climate in the park is highly variable, with the amount of rain depending on the elevation.[1] The southern section (mountainous) has an annual precipitation between 1500–2000 mm; while in the middle section it is between 3000–3500 mm and in the northwestern section the annual precipitation reaches 8000 mm or more.[1] The less rainy season is from May to September, accompanied by lower temperatures.[1]
In the park, the mean annual temperature in the lowland rainforest is 25.6 °C, while in the Andean zone it is 8 °C.[1]
Vegetation types inside the park includepuna grassland (in areas over 4000 m), high Andean forests,cloud forests and lowlandAmazon rainforest.[1] This variety of vegetation types is represented in 162 families, 1191 genera and 4385 identified species of plants, with as much as 250 tree species in one hectare.[1] A study found a total of 1108 species of trees inside the park, from several plots between the mountain tree line and the lowland forest.[7]
Plant species found in thelowland rainforest zone of the park include:Bertholletia excelsa,Nectandra spp.,Cedrelinga cateniformis,Socratea exorrhiza,Eugenia spp.,Cedrela odorata,Brosimum lactescens,Iriartea deltoidea,Protium spp.,Poulsenia armata,Cecropia spp.,Inga spp.,Margaritaria nobilis,Ceiba samauma,Solanum grandiflorum,Annona excellens,Calophyllum brasiliense,Simarouba amara,Maxillaria spp.,Virola calophylla,Ficus spp.,Trema micrantha,Hevea brasiliensis,Piper spp.,Mauritia flexuosa,Clusia spp.,Euterpe precatoria,Jacaranda copaia, etc. Plant species found in themountain zones in the park include:Podocarpus oleifolius,Prunus integrifolia,Cyrtochilum aureum,Escallonia myrtilloides,Hesperomeles ferruginea,Otoglossum scansor,Baccharis salicifolia,Cinchona pubescens,Oreopanax spp.,Polylepis pauta,Alnus acuminata,Retrophyllum rospigliosii,Vallea stipularis, etc.[1][7][8]
In 2021, the so-called “Manu Mystery Plant”, a small tree, with tiny white flowers and ribbed, bright orange fruit, was determined to be a distinct genus, which was named Aenigmanu (the enigma of Manu). The plant, first collected in 1973 byField Museum ecologistRobin Foster, had puzzled experts for decades. DNA analysis revealed it to be related to thePicramniaceae; but unlike this family, the Aenigmanu hasstipules on its stems where the leaves emerge.[9]
About 160 species of mammals have been reported in the park.[1] Mammals found in thelowland rainforest zone of the park include: thejaguar, thetayra, thegiant armadillo, thepuma (also present in mountainous areas), theocelot, thecollared peccary, thegiant otter, thePeruvian spider monkey, theMexican free-tailed bat, thejaguarundi, thecapybara, thetufted capuchin, thewhite-lipped peccary, thegreater bulldog bat, theSouthern Amazon red squirrel, themarsh deer, thewater opossum, thered brocket, thebrown-throated sloth, theblack-capped squirrel monkey, theSouth American tapir, thesouthern tamandua, themoustached tamarin, thepacarana, etc.[10] Mammals reported frommountain zones in the park include: thewhite-tailed deer, theAndean fox, themountain paca, thelong-tailed weasel, themontane guinea pig, thespectacled bear, etc.[10]
More than 1000 bird species have been estimated to exist in the park.[1] Birds reported for thelowland rainforest in the park include: thegreat tinamou,Spix's guan, therufescent tiger-heron, theblue-and-yellow macaw, thesilvery grebe, theharpy eagle, thelong-billed starthroat, thesnowy egret, theking vulture, thescarlet macaw, theroseate spoonbill, theblue-crowned trogon, theturquoise tanager, theAmazonian pygmy owl, theblue-headed parrot, etc.[10] Birds present in themountain zones in the park include: theAndean tinamou, thegreat horned owl, thetorrent duck, theyellow-billed pintail, theamethyst-throated sunangel, theAndean guan, thepuna ibis, thegolden-collared tanager, theAndean condor, thecollared inca, thesolitary eagle, theAndean cock-of-the-rock, themountain caracara, themitred parakeet, thesapphire-vented puffleg, thegiant hummingbird, etc.[10]
The 155 amphibian species found in the park include:Atelopus erythropus,Bolitoglossa altamazonica,Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata,Dendropsophus acreanus,Dendropsophus koechlini,Dendropsophus rhodopeplus,Hyalinobatrachium bergeri,Leptodactylus didymus,Oreobates cruralis,Oscaecilia bassleri,Pipa pipa,Pristimantis buccinator,Pristimantis cosnipatae,Pristimantis danae,Pristimantis olivaceus,Rhinella veraguensis,Telmatobius timens, etc.[11]
There are 132 species of reptiles in the park including: thespectacled caiman, theblack caiman, thenorthern caiman lizard, themata mata, theboa, theshushupe, thegreen anaconda, thetree boa, theyellow-spotted river turtle, thelancehead, theaquatic coral snake, etc.[11]
In addition, 210 species of fish, 300 species of ants, 650 species of beetles, 136 species of dragonflies and more than 1300 species of butterflies have been reported in the park so far.[1]
Among thenative peoples living inside the park are:Yora,Mashco-Piro,Matsiguenka,Harakmbut andYine; plus other human groups living in voluntary isolation.[1]
There are five areas open to tourists where local biodiversity can be watched along paths, swamps,oxbow lakes and river shores.[1] In the lower basin of Manu river there are also: 5 camping sites, 4viewing points (one of them an 18 m tower), 3 lodges and acanopy walkway.[1]
Scientific research is also done at the park, with many research centers in or around the area.[1]
| Cultural |
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|---|---|---|
| Natural | ||
| Mixed |
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| International | |
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| National | |
