Peru is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. It ranks as number one for diversity in fish and butterfly species, second in birds, and third for both mammals and amphibians. It holds 10% of the world’s plants! Its biomes (regions) include mountain, marine and jungle.

The 2,400 km (1,500 mi) of Pacific coast is a clash of marine and desert with vast sea bird colonies and sea lions, penguins and dolphins. The warmer northern waters are the perfect ecosystem for whales and turtles usually from August through to October.

The Andes is home to the condor, which inspired successive ancient civilizations, the spectacled bear, the puma, and also to the camelids, such as the llamas, alpacas and vicuñas. Eastward from the Andes, the cloud forest is a paradise of orchids and birds, and home to gorgeous endemic species such as the Spatule-tail Hummingbird and the Cock of the Rock. Finally, the lower Amazon forests and oxbow lakes host river otters, tapir, jaguar, anaconda and 30 species of primates.