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The Pacaya-Samiria Natural Reserve was established on February 4th, 1982, by Supreme Decree Nº 016-82-AG.
This National Reserve is located at the Loreto department, in the Loreto, Requena, Ucayali, and, Alto Amazonas provinces.
It has a surface of 2 ´080, 000 has., and, is the largest one in the country due to its extension , the second of the Amazon Basin, and, the fourth in South America.
Its central position in the Peruvian Forest, as well as its great extension, secure the conservation of representative samples of the ecosystems of the tropical wetland
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forest, and, favour the investigation of wild flora and fauna (terrestrial and aquatic).
The fauna of the Reserve is abundant and diverse. The number of mammal species reaches 132 species, standing out rodents and monkeys. Of the 330 registered bird species, 23 of them migratory, approximately 17% correspond to the total recorded for the country. It is estimated that there are 150 grouped species in 20 families of reptiles and amphibians, and, there are records on the existence of 220 fish species.
The aquatic fauna is the most important resource of the reserve, standing out the large sized Paiche (Arapaima gigas), very appreciated due to the quality of the meat. Likewise, other species are present such as the Charapa (Podocnemis expansa), sea cow (Trichechus inunguis), the pink river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) and the grey river dolphin (Sotalia fluviatilis).
Four endangered species are protected in the Reserve: the black Maquisapa (Ateles paniscus), the yellow breast Maquisapa (Ateles beltzebuth), the Brown Wooly Monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha), and, the Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis).
Vegetation is one of the most diverse of the humid tropical forest. Up to date 847 species grouped in 118 families have been recorded, 22 of them orchids. Palm trees occupy large extensions in the reserve, the most representative specie is the Aguaje Palm (Mauritia flexuosa), that grows in formations known as aguajales.
Amongst the wood tree species or of economic importance are: the cedar (cedrella odorata), the Red Cinchona (Cinchona officinalis), Mahogany tree (Maena Capimori), Cacao (Theobroma cacao), Chuchuhuasa (Noxythece sp.), Hormiga caspi (Durdia eriophila), Huairuro (Ormosia amazonica), Lupuna (Chorisia insignis), and, Machín sapote (Quararibea bicolor).
The main objectives of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve are: the conservation of the representive ecosystems of the Low Jungle of the Peruvian Amazonia, preserving the genetic diversity; the wild flora and fauna investigation, in so much terrestrial as aquatic, assuring its adequate management, particularly of those endangered species, and, those of actual and potential use, and, to impulse the socio economic development of the neighboring populations, throughout the rational utilization of wild flora and fauna resources, and, to promote local tourism.
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