+25 animals from the Peruvian coast

The impressive dimensions of the humpback whale or yubarta , make it one of the most striking marine mammals of the fauna of Peru . Its more than 12 meters in length, its 36,000 kilograms, its long pectoral fins, a heart the size of a car and its veins that could fit a human being, make this majestic species one of the largest whales .

Approaching any of the beaches or cliffs of the Peruvian coast can ensure that we contemplate a humpback whale performing one of its incredible acrobatics. His numerous impulses to the surface to breathe and his subsequent fall back into the water are quite a spectacle.

Learn more about these living things in this other AgroCorrn post about Where whales live and what they eat .

Another of the marine mammals that stands out as the most representative animal of Peru is the South American sea lion. From the coasts washed by the Atlantic in Uruguay and Argentina, passing through the coasts of the South Pacific of Chile until reaching the Peruvian coast, South American sea lions inhabit coastal ecosystems in large colonies of about 15 individuals.

Its most characteristic feature is the extensive layer of brown and reddish hairs that the males present around their neck, giving them the appearance of a lion. Males also differ from females of the same species in the weight they reach, being about 300 kilograms in males and almost half, about 140 kilograms, in females.

Among the most outstanding reptiles of the fauna of Peru we find, without a doubt, the leatherback turtle . It is the largest turtle among all the tortoises that exist today, reaching two meters in wingspan. Their diet is mainly based on jellyfish.

This surprising sea turtle is considered a gigantotherm species, that is, thanks to its voluminous size and being a cold-blooded animal, the ratio between its volume and body surface area is higher and, therefore, it is capable of maintaining a temperature constant body more easily.

Here you can learn more about the situation of this marine reptile: Is the leatherback turtle in danger of extinction?

Worldwide known as one of the most amazing flightless birds in the world, penguins are also part of the list of amazing animals of the Peruvian coast .

Within the Spheniscidae family to which they belong, the Humboldt penguins inhabit the coasts that the Pacific Ocean bathes in Peru, receiving their name from the Humboldt Current or Peruvian current, which constitutes their exclusive area of ​​distribution. They are therefore considered native animals of Peru.

Its small size, hydrodynamic fins and constitution allow the Humboldt penguin to satisfy its nutritional needs in the rich waters of the Peruvian upwelling ecosystem.

There is also a place on the vast Peruvian coast for the bird with the largest wingspan . This large seabird is the albatross (Family Diomedeidae) . There are several species of this family that we can find in the waters of the Pacific, off the Peruvian coast, among which the following stand out:

• Traveler or wandering albatross ( Diomedea exulans ).
• White-fronted Albatross ( Thalassarche (cauta) salvini).
• Ahumado Albatros ( Phoebetria fusca ).

In the cliffs of the Peruvian coast , the bird known as Inca tern, tendril or nun tern , finds its natural habitat, being one of the most representative animals of Peru.

This seabird from South America flies over the waters of the sea off the coast of Peru in search of schools of fish to feed on. It is easy to recognize the individuals of the species, since their characteristic grayish plumage, their legs and beak of an intense red and the presence of yellow cheeks and a fine line of white feathers like a mustache are unmistakable.

To learn more about the diverse fauna of Peru , let’s put more examples of the marine mammals and birds that predominate on these Pacific coasts.

Sea mammals

• Black orca or false orca ( Pseudorca crassidens ) .
• Orca pigmea (Feresa attenuata ).
• Pacific white-sided dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus obliquidens ).
• Bottlenose dolphin or bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ).
• Tropical Spotted Dolphin ( Stenella attenuata ).
• Melon-headed dolphin ( Peponocephala electra ).
• Gray Cauldron ( Grampus griseus ).
• Cachalote pigmeo ( Kogia breviceps ).
• Black or spiny porpoise ( Phocoena spinipinnis ).
• Cuvier’s Ballenato ( Ziphius cavirostris ).

Birds of the Peruvian coast

• Peruvian pelican ( Pelecanus thagus ).
• Cormorán guanay (Leucocarbo bougainvillii).
• Peruvian Piquero ( Sula variegata ).
• Black Oystercatcher ( Haematopus ater ).
• Kelp gull ( Larus dominicanus ).
• Snowy heron ( Egretta thula ).
• Pelagic frigate ( Fregata minor ).
• Sea earwig ( Fregata magnificens ).

Now you can see a gallery of photos of these animals in the same order as in these lists. Likewise, we show you more information in this other post about +60 animals from the coast and in the video that you will see at the end about Peruvian coastal animals and other areas.

If you want to read more articles similar to +25 animals from the Peruvian coast , we recommend that you enter our Wild Animals category .