The rupa rupa region, also called the high jungle, is a region of Peru between the border area of Amazonas and Cajamarca, to the extreme south of the country.
Because it is located at a height that varies between 500 and 3500 meters above sea level, the characteristics of its flora, fauna and climate are very particular.
The relief is characterized by the presence of pongos, a narrow and deep canyon, and large areas of forests crossed by mighty rivers.
The Peruvian provinces that are included within this region are: Urubamba, Cajamarca, Rioja, Ucayali and Bagua, among others.
Main features
One of the great geographical attractions of the rupa rupa region, whose term means “what is hot”, is the innumerable natural caves of incredible beauty distributed throughout the territory.
Relief and climate
The relief is varied. In areas where the Amazon meets the Andes, the zones have steep slopes and pongos, deep channels formed by rivers, abound.
The caves are also very important, some of which are visited by tourists, such as Chaglla, located in Huanuco; and that of San Andrés in Cajamarca.
As for the climate, it is the cloudiest and rainiest territory in Peru: the rains are usually torrential in the forested areas.
Basically it is hot-humid and the temperatures oscillate between 22 and 25 ° C. However, maximum temperatures of 36 ° C can be recorded, and in the most mountainous areas the minimum temperatures reach 8 ° C.
According to historical climatic records, the record for rainfall was recorded in 1964, when the rains reached 8965 mm.
Fauna
There is a great variety of species in the high jungle that are endemic to the region, due to the characteristics of the Amazon ecosystem.
Among the most representative species are the tapir, jaguar, bears, bats, the cock of the rocks and the yellow-tailed woolly monkey.
There are also many deer, vipers, the spectacled bear, the jungle condor and fish, such as the river croaker and the dorado.
The more than forty species of hummingbirds are very striking, such as the aberrojo, the smallest in the world; and the giant hummingbird, which can measure up to eight inches. Nineteen of these species are considered endemic to Peru.
Flora
In the lower areas of the Rupa Rupa region, the trees are very tall and leafy, such as cedar, walnut, oak, fig, myrtle, romerillo, cacao and catahua, among others.
There is also a great variety of ferns, cacti such as prickly pear, and shrubs such as sanango and guartiro.
In the rupa rupa region, numerous indigenous communities of Peru coexist, who have managed to conserve their customs and traditions over time, also providing valuable knowledge about the healing properties of certain plants in the environment.
Among these indigenous peoples are the Aguarunas, the Chayahuitas and the Huambisas.
References
- gestion.pe, «the 30 places you must visit in Peru». Retrieved on December 15, 2017 from gestion.pe
- "Characteristics of the High", 2013. Retrieved on December 15, 2017 from elpopular.pe
- Mixha Zizek, “The natural regions of Peru”, 2017. Retrieved on December 15, 2017 from aboutespanol.com