This is a brief blog about one of our tours in Cusco Peru. We arrived in Cusco on Christmas Day and spent a few easy days acclimating to the altitude of 11,152 feet.
This is a private organization dedicated to the rescue of animals that have been abused, or come from illicit trafficking of wildlife. It was founded in 2007 and since then they have provided refuge to a wide number of species, many of which are on the brink of extinction. They try to achieve the reproduction of these amazing animals and birds and then release the offspring into their natural habitat.
The first animal we saw was this Andean bear. Andean bears have distinctive circular or semicircular creamy white or yellowish markings on their faces and around their eyes as well as down to their throat and chest. Deforestation has caused a dramatic decline in their population. The Andean bear served as an inspiration to the beloved Paddington Bear.Colombia has 28 species of turtles. These are yellow footed tortoises who have been rescued due to cracked shells. They are found in the Amazon Basin of South America. They are most frequently around 15-20 pounds but some can be up to 36 inches long and weigh over 100 pounds. They are considered vulnerable to extinction.South Andean deer is an endangered species. Only the bucks have antlers that are shed each year toward the end of winter. Their predators are cougars which remains the principle cause of their mortality.The rescued macaws and parrots have their wings clipped so they cannot fly out of the animal park. The cacophony of sound coming from their roost was amazing to hear. ThisToucan’s name was Tuki Tuki.Feeding time for Tuki Tuki. His bill is cracked so he has a special diet of soft foods.
And then there were three…More birds feeding.
Emily was brave enough to let this bird feed from her hand. She was much more interactive than we were.
Show offAmazing colors on this bird as it basks in the sunshine.Emily also fed the Alpacas.Look at how cute this baby alpaca is.Llamas and Alpacas are often kept in herds and can be used as therapy animals. They can also be a good source of antibodies that may help treat certain diseases including cancers and Covid 19.
Vicunas are relatives of the llama, and are now believed to be the wild ancestor of domesticated alpacas. They are very aggressive and will bite. They are raised for their extremely fine wool, which is very expensive because the animal can only be shorn every three years and has to be caught from the wild. The Incas valued vicunas and it was against the law for anyone but royalty to wear vicuna garments. It is the national animal of Peru.
Vicuna feeding.
The Puma also known as the mountain lion or cougar, is the second largest feline in the Americas and the most adaptable big cat in the world. They can run up to 40-50 miles per hour and can leap 25 feet. They are secretive and usually avoid contact with people however they are especially prone to attack runners and bicyclists.
Short video of a cute little monkeyThe Condors were definitely the stars of the show today. They are the National Bird of Colombia.
Andean Condors are massive birds, among the largest in the world that are able to fly. This is a short video of the Condor flying.
Another video of the Condor walking. It was such a thrill to have them walk and fly around us.Because they are so heavy (up to 33 pounds), even their enormous 10 foot wingspan needs some help to keep them aloft. For this reason they prefer to live in windy areas where they can glide on currents with little effort.
A video of the Condor performing.Our Uber Driver waited for us as we toured the animal park then drove us to these ruins for a photo op. Puka Pukara is a site of military ruins in Peru. This fort is made of large walls, terraces, and staircases and was part of Cusco’s defense and the Inca Empire in general. View of the town of Cusco below.This 26 foot tall statue of Jesus Christ in Cusco stands guard over the ancient city from its imposing perch atop the Pukamoqo hillside.
Here is a video of our Uber driver maneuvering the steep narrow streets of Cusco as Emily conversed with him in Spanish.
We are so grateful to Emily for finding this tour for us today and highly recommend a visit to it for anyone going to Cusco Peru.
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