 
Peru is a highly diverse country split into three geographic regions, the coast, jungle, and the highlands, and is home to a wide range of biodiversity. Although the Amazon is famous for being an ecological hot spot for amphibian species, Denver Zoo is working to save a critically endangered species in the highlands .Located on the border of Bolivia and Peru is Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world sitting at 12,500 ft above sea level, and home to Lake Titicaca frogs.
Peru Fact Sheet (pdf)
Read Notes from the Field Journal
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| Peru Animal Facts: |
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Lake Titicaca Frog: Known as the largest totally aquatic frog, this species is endemic only to Lake Titicaca. In Peru, this frog is used for medicinal purposes and blended as "frog shakes," which have said to cure everything from epilepsy to headaches. Due to this human exploitation and possibly the chytrid fungus, this frog's numbers have dwindled immensely, making them the most critically endangered frog in the world. |
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Andean Cat: This rare wild cat is about the size of a house cat, but its thick long tail makes it seem much larger. It is considered the South American counterpart to the Snow leopard in that it resides high up in the mountains, in elevations from 11,000-15,000 ft. Due to human expansion into the mountain ranges, this cat's habitat has become fragmented, which could potentially be devastating to the species. There are thought to be less than 2,500 individuals left in the wild.
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Vicuņa: This relative of the llama is the national animal of Peru. These animals are very shy and have extremely good hearing, so they are easily spooked. The vicuņa has recovered from an endangered population of less than 6,000 in 1974 to more than 350,000 individuals. Conservation efforts are still in place to make sure that these animals remain without threat of habitat loss or poaching.
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Jaguar: The only big cats larger than the Jaguar are the lion and the tiger. The jaguar is the largest big cat in the Americas, weighing anywhere from 125-350 pounds. Jaguars are solitary animals, and they are very muscular and strong. Although they are often mistaken for leopards, jaguars are more similar to tigers in their behavior. Due to human exploitation and habitat fragmentation, these cats' numbers are dwindling. |
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