Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary

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Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary
Santuario Nacional Manglares de Tumbes
Manglares de Tumbes by boat.jpg
Waterway at Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary.
Peru physical map.svg
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Location within Peru
Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary
LocationFlag of Peru.svg  Peru
Tumbes
Nearest city Zarumilla
Coordinates 3°25′12″S80°16′30″W / 3.42000°S 80.27500°W / -3.42000; -80.27500
Area29.72 km2 (11.47 sq mi)
Established1988
Governing body SERNANP
Website Santuario Nacional Manglares de Tumbes (in Spanish)
Official nameSantuario Nacional Los Manglares de Tumbes
Designated20 January 1997
Reference no.883 [1]

Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary is a protected natural area located in the region of Tumbes, Peru. [2] Established in 1988, it protects the largest area of mangrove forest in Peru. [3]

Contents

Geography

This protected area is located in Zarumilla Province, Tumbes; close to the border with Ecuador. [2] [3] With an area of 29.72 square kilometres (11.47 sq mi), it harbors the largest mangrove forest in Peru. [2] [3]

Ecology

Flora

Five species of mangrove dominate the area: black mangrove ( Avicennia germinans ), white mangrove ( Laguncularia racemosa ), button mangrove ( Conocarpus erectus ) and two species of red mangrove ( Rhizophora mangle and Rhizophora harrisonii ). [2] [3] Seasonally dry forest and scrubland can also be found in some parts of the sanctuary; tree species representative of this ecosystem being: Pithecellobium excelsum , Cordia lutea , Mimosa acantholoba , Parkinsonia praecox , Ceiba trischistandra , Loxopterygium huasango , Bursera graveolens , Cochlospermum spp., Prosopis pallida , Capparis scabrida ; and some seasonal herbaceous species: Aristida adscensionis , Bouteloua aristidoides , Stylosanthes spp., Crotalaria spp., Tephrosia cinerea , Cyperus spp., Scirpus spp., Distichlis spicata , Antephora hermaphrodita , Paspalum racemosum , Ipomoea spp., and Bidens pilosa . [2] [3]

Fauna

The sanctuary protects 148 species of birds, being some of them the yellow-crowned night heron, the rufous-necked wood rail, the American yellow warbler and the American white ibis. [2]

The sanctuary also protects 105 fish species, plus some other 40 migrant species. [2]

Mammals found in the area include the crab-eating raccoon, the silky anteater and the neotropical otter. [2] [3]

Also, 33 snail species, 34 crustacean species, 24 bivalve species and 9 reptile species are found in the sanctuary. [2]

Recreation

It is possible to navigate, by kayak or canoe, the waterways inside the mangrove forest in the zone accessible to tourists (137,5 hectares = 4,61% of the sanctuary). [2] In this area activities like walking on beaches, birdwatching and observation of the use of the mangrove ecosystem by the locals are also allowed. [2]

Scientific research has been a constant activity since the creation of the sanctuary. [2] [3]

Environmental issues

The clearance of mangrove forests and nearby seasonally dry forests to open land for shrimp farming and agriculture has an enormous impact on local ecosystems. [3] Shrimp farms also capture and grow larva of local shrimp species from the mangrove forests with help of local inhabitants. [3] These farms and agricultural lands also pollute the area with industrial waste and agricultural runoff. [3]

Illegal extraction of edible crustaceans and bivalves; conflicts over land use rights with nearby villages and litter and wastewater discharge from nearby towns into the mangrove forest canals are also environmental issues affecting the sanctuary. [3]

Introduced plant species like Tephrosia purpurea, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Eragrostis cilianensis and Brachiaria mutica are found growing inside this protected area. [3]

The American crocodile is no longer present in the area, rendering this species as one of the most threatened in the country. [2]

References

  1. ↑ "Santuario Nacional Los Manglares de Tumbes". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Los Manglares de Tumbes - Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado". www.sernanp.gob.pe (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary - Park Profile - General information". www.parkswatch.org. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
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