Cerros de Amotape National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape) is a protected area located in the regions of Piura and Tumbes in northern Peru.
Geography
Cerros de Amotape National Park is located in the provinces of Tumbes and Contralmirante Villar in the Tumbes region, and in the province of Sullana in the Piura region. The park covers an area of 1,515.61 square kilometers. It includes the mountain range called Cordillera de los Amotapes and the Tumbes River, which is the only river on the Peruvian coast that can be used for boats. The park’s elevation ranges from 120 meters to 1,538 meters above sea level.
Climate
In the area, the rainy season lasts from December to April, with the southern and western parts of the park receiving less rain. Average yearly temperatures range between 23° and 26 °C. The tropical dry forest zone has an average yearly rainfall of 500 mm, while the Pacific tropical forest zone has an average yearly rainfall of 1450 mm.
Ecology
The park helps protect part of the Tumbes–Piura dry forests ecoregion and the southern parts of the Pacific Tropical Forest.
Some of the trees found in this area include: Ceiba trischistandra, Prosopis pallida, Albizia multiflora, Cedrela sp., Ziziphus thyrsiflora, Handroanthus billbergii, Handroanthus chrysanthus, Loxopterygium huasango, Bursera graveolens, and other types of trees.
Some of the mammals found in this area include: the red brocket, the Guayaquil squirrel, the neotropical otter, the white-tailed deer, the mantled howler, the white-fronted capuchin, the ocelot, and the jaguar.
There are 111 different bird species in the park. Some examples include: the grey-backed hawk, the grey-cheeked parakeet, the blackish-headed spinetail, and the slaty becard.
The park is home to the endangered American crocodile.
Activities
Hiking is available in the park, especially in the area near the park's edge. You can rent mules for longer hikes inside the park. Canoeing is possible on the Tumbes River. Nature watching and scientific research are also important activities in the park.
The park's checkpoints can be used for overnight stays.
In the El Caucho area, located within the tropical forest, there are research facilities that visitors can tour.
Environmental issues
The main threats to biodiversity inside the park include: livestock grazing, cutting down trees for building materials and making charcoal, taking honey from wild bees, hunting, overfishing in the Tumbes River, polluting rivers, leaving garbage from tourists, and planting non-native plants.