Lomas de Lachay
Encyclopedia
The Lomas de Lachay is a national reserve in the desert foothills of Huaura Province
in Lima region of Peru. The reserve is located 105 kilometres (65.2 mi) north from the capital Lima
and features a unique mist-fed ecosystem
of wild plant and animal species. It expands across an area of 5070 hectares (12,528.2 acre).
The hills are a result of a combination of coastal climate factors, and subject to a peculiar geography
called the Yungas
. They originate from the primary spurring of the Andes
, a location where they contact the clouds which cover the area the majority of the year. There are two distinct seasons in Lachay: the humid season (which is the most important), from approximately June to November and the dry season, from December to May. The first season is emphasized due to its ability to give life to the green vegetation and attract the fauna of the region, while the second season is noted for presenting a drying process which ends when the first fog
appears in the fall.
The National Reserve of Lachay was established in 1977 by means of Supreme Law #310-77-AG to restore and conserve the wild flora and fauna, perform research in order to use the hills rationally and encourage recreation that is ecologically sound.
, Capparis
prisca, Caesalpinia
tinctoria and the nettle Loasa
urens, which cover the reserve with yellow attractive flowers. There are also numerous grass
es, airplant
s and succulents, like cactus
.
, and the vizcacha.
Throughout the reserve there exists approximately 55 bird species pertaining to 15 families, among them are: the Burrowing Owl
, the Andean Tinamou
, the American Kestrel
, and diverse species of hummingbird
s.
Among the most notorious reptiles, you can observe the Peruvian snake (Bothrops
pictus) and the Curl Tail Lizard
. There are also many arthropod
s.
, Tiahuanaco, Mochica, Chimú, Chancay and the Inca.
In the reserve you can find archeological paintings (petroglyph
s) and remains from the Pre-Columbian cultures. At the same time, you can appreciate the huge granite
and diorite
rocks which have worn away over time leaving concavities and soft contours, which are of great geological
interest.
Huaura Province
Huaura is one of nine provinces of the Región Lima on the Pacific coast of Perú. It is bordered by the province of Barranca and the Ancash Region in the north, the provinces of Cajatambo and Oyón and the Pasco Region in the east, the province of Huaral in the south and the Pacific Ocean in the...
in Lima region of Peru. The reserve is located 105 kilometres (65.2 mi) north from the capital Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
and features a unique mist-fed ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
of wild plant and animal species. It expands across an area of 5070 hectares (12,528.2 acre).
The hills are a result of a combination of coastal climate factors, and subject to a peculiar geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
called the Yungas
Yungas
The Yungas is a stretch of forest along the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains from southeastern Peru through central Bolivia. It is a transitional zone between the Andean highlands and the eastern forests. Like the surrounding areas, it has characteristics of the Neotropic ecozone...
. They originate from the primary spurring of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
, a location where they contact the clouds which cover the area the majority of the year. There are two distinct seasons in Lachay: the humid season (which is the most important), from approximately June to November and the dry season, from December to May. The first season is emphasized due to its ability to give life to the green vegetation and attract the fauna of the region, while the second season is noted for presenting a drying process which ends when the first fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
appears in the fall.
The National Reserve of Lachay was established in 1977 by means of Supreme Law #310-77-AG to restore and conserve the wild flora and fauna, perform research in order to use the hills rationally and encourage recreation that is ecologically sound.
Flora
Some 150 plant species have been registered inside the park, among them 25 are on their way to extinction. Among the most notable, are the Peruvian papaya, taraCaesalpinia spinosa
Caesalpinia spinosa Kuntze, commonly known as tara, is a small leguminous tree or thorny shrub native to Peru. C. spinosa is cultivated as a source of tannins based on a galloylated quinic acid structure...
, Capparis
Capparis
Capparis is a flowering plant genus in the family Capparaceae which is included in the Brassicaceae in the unrevised APG II system. These plants are shrubs or lianas and are collectively known as caper shrubs or caperbushes...
prisca, Caesalpinia
Caesalpinia
Caesalpinia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. Membership within the genus is controversial, with different publications including anywhere from 70 to 165 species, depending largely on the inclusion or exclusion of species alternately listed under genera such as...
tinctoria and the nettle Loasa
Loasa
Loasa is a genus of ornamental plants in the family Loasaceae. These plants are usually prickly herbs, or subshrubs, and they are native of tropical America....
urens, which cover the reserve with yellow attractive flowers. There are also numerous grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es, airplant
Tillandsia
Tillandsia is a genus of around 540 species in the Bromeliad family , found in the forests, mountains, and deserts, of Central and South America, and Mexico and the southern United States in North America....
s and succulents, like cactus
Haageocereus
Haageocereus is a genus of cacti endemic to the lower elevations of the extremely dry desert along the coast of Peru and northern Chile.-Synonymy:The following genera have been brought into synonymy with Haagerocereus:...
.
Fauna
The common mammals found here are the rodents, but there are other species like the Sechuran Fox, the Andes Skunk (Conepatus rex), the mountain mousePhyllotis
Phyllotis is a genus of rodent in the family Cricetidae.It contains the following species:* Phyllotis alisosiensis* Friendly Leaf-eared Mouse * Andean Leaf-eared Mouse...
, and the vizcacha.
Throughout the reserve there exists approximately 55 bird species pertaining to 15 families, among them are: the Burrowing Owl
Burrowing Owl
The Burrowing Owl is a tiny but long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing Owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated...
, the Andean Tinamou
Andean Tinamou
The Andean Tinamou is a tinamou, found commonly in high altitude shrubland, in the Andes of South America.-Etymology:...
, the American Kestrel
American Kestrel
The American Kestrel , sometimes colloquially known as the Sparrow Hawk, is a small falcon, and the only kestrel found in the Americas. It is the most common falcon in North America, and is found in a wide variety of habitats. At long, it is also the smallest falcon in North America...
, and diverse species of hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s.
Among the most notorious reptiles, you can observe the Peruvian snake (Bothrops
Bothrops
Bothrops is a genus of venomous pitvipers found in Central and South America. The generic name is derived from the Greek words bothros and ops that mean "pit" and "eye" or "face"; an allusion to the heat-sensitive loreal pit organs. Members of this genus are responsible for more human deaths in the...
pictus) and the Curl Tail Lizard
Tropidurus
The reptile genus Tropidurus includes several species of Neotropical ground lizards . It is the type genus of this family of iguanian lizards. They are found on the South American mainland, especially in the Amazon Rainforest but also in more arid regions...
. There are also many arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s.
Culture
Cultures that have affected the area include the Teatino, ChavínChavin
Chavin may refer to:* Chavín culture, an early culture of the Andean region, pre-dating the Moche culture in Peru* Chavín de Huantar, an archaeological site built by the Chavín culture* Chavin, Indre, a commune of the Indre département in France...
, Tiahuanaco, Mochica, Chimú, Chancay and the Inca.
In the reserve you can find archeological paintings (petroglyph
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
s) and remains from the Pre-Columbian cultures. At the same time, you can appreciate the huge granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and diorite
Diorite
Diorite is a grey to dark grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar , biotite, hornblende, and/or pyroxene. It may contain small amounts of quartz, microcline and olivine. Zircon, apatite, sphene, magnetite, ilmenite and sulfides occur as accessory...
rocks which have worn away over time leaving concavities and soft contours, which are of great geological
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
interest.