This Iconic South American Country Got a New National Reserve — and It's a Whale-watcher's Paradise
Peru's new Grau Tropical Sea National Reserve sits off the coasts of Piura and Tumbes.
Courtesy of Visit Peru
There's a new national preserve for you to love. And it comes with some of the most beautiful ocean views on Earth.
In the spring of 2024, Peru announced that it approved the nation's newest protected area — The Grau Tropical Sea National Reserve — following more than a decade of collaboration between the government and nonprofits. Located in the nation's northern region, off the coasts of Piura and Tumbes, the reserve covers a massive 286,059 acres, ensuring aquatic life in the protected waters can thrive for generations to come.
According to the International Climate Initiative, the area is the habitat of 70 percent of Peru's marine species, including turtles, humpback whales (which specifically travel here to give birth), hammerhead sharks, the Humboldt penguin, and the Pacific seahorse. And as Climate Initiative added, the new reserve will not only help preserve wildlife but it can also help "develop the area's tourism potential, help reduce the negative impacts of climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, and contribute to the 30x30 goal of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework."
Courtesy of Visit Peru
There is one more bonus to this new habitat: it will help protect the area from overfishing while also bolstering the local artisanal fishing community that lives in the area. "We have learned and understood that one of the most important challenges to reducing the gap in marine conservation in the country is to strengthen the alliance with the communities that inhabit the northern coast of Peru," Mónica Alzamora, the coordinator of Nature and Culture International’s Coastal Marine Program said in a statement about the program.
Courtesy of Visit Peru
As Nature & Culture International added, it helped to support the "initial effort to inventory the artisanal fishing fleet" and then established space for conversation with the fisherman, along with co-developing a training program to help them grow their operations in a way that works for both them and the environment. In 2020, it helped train 45 fishermen from Foca Island in the reserve to lead through administrative work and surveillance to ensure only the most sustainable practices remain.
As for how travelers can come to check out the region, they just need to make their way to either Piura or Tumbes, both known for their fantastic beaches that offer spectacular opportunities for surfing, whale watching, culinary offerings, and, naturally, their easy access to all this glorious protected outdoor space. However, the best time to visit may be between July through October when the whales make their way to the area for breeding season, making a whale-watching excursion a must-do activity.
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