Lima, March 2016, burning sun, permanent heat. El Niño brings a special touch to the Peruvian summer and the few extra Fahrenheit are definitely increasing the sensation of discomfort. When the day is about to end it feels like a thunderstorm is about to explode and that would bring an incredible relief… But thunderstorms are never happening in Lima. Cold is something that is stuck in our mind, in our dreams, in our memories of some cold nights in the mountains or on the Altiplano.
Incredible Altiplano, gorgeous, unforgettable. Superlatives could easily go on and on when memories are coming back, when people are wondering, “how was it?” It is so hard to describe this adventure in a few words or even sentences, hard to organize the first thoughts that are immediately coming in our mind.
Panoramas and landscapes have already illustrated this blog, and it is easy to see the Altiplano as a large dry altitude desert when there is actually a dense fauna up there, well adapted to the extremes conditions of the place. During a trip preparation, anyone can read tips and info about Andean camelids or pink flamingos… But it is different to imagine a face to face with one of those animals that we are more use to see in magazines or TV documentaries. However, once on the Altiplano, it is perfectly possible to encounter all those amazing species in only a few hours.
Viscacha(Lagidium peruanum)
At the first photo stop in northern Chili, it is the viscacha that first appears. This curious rodent of the chinchilla’s family looks like a rabbit with a long tail, but when it starts moving, it bounces around like a kangaroo. Viscachas are generally living in rocky areas, and while pretty shy, it is not too hard to get close when they are sunbathing, sometimes showing interesting positions or funny faces.
Vicuna (Vicugna vicugna)
A bit further, our first vicunas are coming out. Very far at first. Those camelids are wild and cannot be domesticated. They are very shy if one try to approach by foot, but it is easier to get close by car. Vicuna wool is one the finest and the warmest of the world: a very small amount (merely a pound) is produced per year. Vicunas are shorn every 3 years (after being caught) and then released. More elegant than lamas, Vicunas are everywhere on the Altiplano. Thousands of them crossed the road in front of our car or wandered around us while trekking. However, in the sixties, Vicunas were endangered with a population of only 6000 in the whole Andes.
At the first sight, we are feeling pretty excited even tough what we are seeing is merely more than a beige dot pretty far away. A little bit further a whole group is hanging out near the road before finally crossing just in front of the car. And this will be happening again and again! Far from being bored, every single encounter feels like something unique and incredible. It is impossible to not be in awe when vicunas are climbing some steep hills like mountain goats or when a cub is trying to hide in the middle of the water grass near a river.
Culpeo or Andean Fox (Lycalopex culpaeus andinus)
A Culpeo (Zorro Andino in Spanish) is crossing the road. This fox is a bit more rare, but pretty well represented in the Andes. In some very touristic areas, tourists are giving food to this predator and it is not uncommon to see some culpeo sitting in front of a car, waiting for some snacks. Please, wherever you go, do not feed the wildlife !!!
Pink Flamingos (Phoenicoparrus)
Finally, it is in the air or on the water that the animal world is the largest. Birds, geese and ducks can find plenty of food in the numerous alkaline lakes. By their amazing colors, their elegant silhouette, pink flamingos are definitely standing out of this Andean feathery crowd. 3 species are presents in those mountains:
- Andean Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus)
- James Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus jamesi)
- Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)
Groups of thousands are common. The pink plumage brings an incredible vivid touch to this already colored landscape. On every Salar, marsh, lake, those wading birds are swinging their neck ahead, throwing their beak into the mud to get whatever nutrients they could find.
Any birder could spend hours, days identifying ducks, falcons, hawks…
Another bird cannot be missed: the rhea (or nandou) that cannot fly.
Rhea (Rhea Americana)
It could feel strange to meet this ostrich looking bird at more than 15000 feet high… Shy and discreet, the rhea is finally pretty easy to sight, often in small groups. From far, they look like big chickens, pecking here and there. Later, some groups will be sometimes pretty close, running away quickly in any direction as soon as a danger is spotted.
At the end of our road, in Argentina, a few wild burros gather along the dirt roads.
