Mejía Lagoons National Sanctuary
| Mejía Lagoons National Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
| Santuario Nacional Lagunas de Mejía | |
  Location within Peru | |
| Location | Mejía District, Arequipa, Peru |
| Coordinates | 17°08′49″S 71°51′47″W / 17.147°S 71.863°WCoordinates: 17°08′49″S 71°51′47″W / 17.147°S 71.863°W[1] |
| Area | 690.6 hectares (1,707 acres) |
| Established | 1984 |
The Mejía Lagoons National Sanctuary (Santuario Nacional Lagunas de Mejía) is a protected area in Peru on the coastal Mejía District in Arequipa, in the mouth of the Tambo River. It is now a sanctuary for migratory birds. In 1981 Mejia Lagoons were drained by Peruvian Ministry of Agriculture to convert the land to ricefields, letter-writing campaign to Peruvian government in protest, made by O.P. Pearson, M.P. Harris and R.A. Hughes among others, result in declaration of birds preserve area.[2] The sanctuary was established on February 24, 1984, and is in the department of Arequipa, province of Islay, with an area of 690.6 hectares (1,707 acres).
It is a refuge for migratory birds on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. This area provides food for birds like the sanderling (Calidris alba).
On the shores of the lakes are frogs (Bufo limensis) and lizards (Microlophus tigris), and fish such as the flathead mullet (Mugil Cephalus) and silversides (Basilichthys sp.).
On the beach there are 180 types of birds as residents and migratories. These include:
- Grey gull (Larus modestus)
- Sanderling (Calidris alba)
- Black skimmer (Rinchops niger)
- Belcher's gull (Larus belcheri)
- Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus)
- Grey-headed gull (Larus cirrocephillus)
- White-tufted grebe (Rollandia rolland)
- Great grebe (Podiceps major)
- Yellow-billed teal (Anas flavirostris)
- White-cheeked pintail (Anas bahamensis)
- Cinnamon teal (Anas cyanopltero)
- Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
- American coot (Fulico americana)
- Virginia rail (Rallus limicola)
- Cocoi heron (Ardea cocoi)
- Great egret (Egretta alba)
- Snowy egret (Egretta thula)
- Little blue heron (Egretta caerulea)
Chilean flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis) prefer to live in vegetated areas. The purpose of this sanctuary is to protect the fauna and flora, and to promote tourism.
References
- ↑ "Lagunas De Mejía National Sanctuary". protectedplanet.net.
- ↑ Myers J.P. (1982). "Mejia Lagoon: gone, but perhaps not forever". Wader Study Group Bulletin. 35: 29.