This National Park is located among the provinces of Bellavista, Picota and San Martín (San Martín region); the province of Ucayali (Loreto region); the province of Padre Abad (Ucayali region); and the province of Leoncio Prado (Huanuco region).This Park protects a number of unique species, biological communities, and geological formations, which are typical of the Premountain and Mountain Forests in the Cordillera Azul Complex where headwaters and intact river basins can be found. Besides, thanks to the creation of this Park, it was possible to develop an integrated and balanced management of natural resources in adjacent zones. The Cordillera Azul National Park shows varied relief forms such as a mountain range, hillsides, plateaus, depressions, steppes, hills, and plains. Several ravines and rivers are born in these mountains and then run outside the protected area. This varied relief forms make up a singular and particularly beautiful landscape.
There are two kinds of climates in this zone, mainly because of the altitudinal gradient and the rain distribution: the warm and humid climate of the tropical jungle, and the mild and rainy climate of the high jungle. The mixture of climate, relief, and land creates 7 living zones; three of them are transitional. These living zones are: tropical humid forest, tropical very humid forest transition to tropical premountain pluvial forest, tropical premountain very humid forest, tropical premountain very humid forest transition to tropical humid forest, tropical premountain pluvial forest, and tropical premountain pluvial forest transition to tropical very humid forest. In this protected area, there are different habitats and types of forests which host many vegetable forms such as trees, palm trees, reeds, lianas, bushes, herbs, orchids, bromeliads, ferns, moss, hepatic, algaes, and others. The fauna is represented by several species of fish, toads, frogs and snakes, as well as by tortoises like the motelo (Geochelone denticulata), and the white caiman (Caiman sclerops). The birds most frequently seen in this zone because of their size are the paujiles (Crax tuberosa), the blue-throated piping guan (Pipile cumanenses) and the pucacunga (Penélope jacquacu), besides the parrots and other taxonomic groups.
Among the most representative mammals, we have the otorongo (Pantera onca), the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the lowland tapir or forest cow (sachavaca or Tapirus terrestris), and the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari). Some monkey species such as the woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagothricha) and the black spider monkey or maquisapa (Ateles paniscus); besides other species of animals such as the giant otter or river wolf (Pteronura brasiliensis), anteaters, squirrels, bats, and armadillos. The Cordillera Azul National Park is a very important protected area for the science because several new flora and fauna species have been found there; besides, it hosts unsusual and lesser-known plants in special enviroments. The aim of this National Park is the protection of endangered habitats, such as the high-altitude swamps, biological communities in acid rocks, spongy forests and elfin forests, hills of eroded red stones, forest hills and hillsides, isolated lakes, streams and high-elevation rivulets.
There are two kinds of climates in this zone, mainly because of the altitudinal gradient and the rain distribution: the warm and humid climate of the tropical jungle, and the mild and rainy climate of the high jungle. The mixture of climate, relief, and land creates 7 living zones; three of them are transitional. These living zones are: tropical humid forest, tropical very humid forest transition to tropical premountain pluvial forest, tropical premountain very humid forest, tropical premountain very humid forest transition to tropical humid forest, tropical premountain pluvial forest, and tropical premountain pluvial forest transition to tropical very humid forest. In this protected area, there are different habitats and types of forests which host many vegetable forms such as trees, palm trees, reeds, lianas, bushes, herbs, orchids, bromeliads, ferns, moss, hepatic, algaes, and others. The fauna is represented by several species of fish, toads, frogs and snakes, as well as by tortoises like the motelo (Geochelone denticulata), and the white caiman (Caiman sclerops). The birds most frequently seen in this zone because of their size are the paujiles (Crax tuberosa), the blue-throated piping guan (Pipile cumanenses) and the pucacunga (Penélope jacquacu), besides the parrots and other taxonomic groups.
Among the most representative mammals, we have the otorongo (Pantera onca), the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the lowland tapir or forest cow (sachavaca or Tapirus terrestris), and the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari). Some monkey species such as the woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagothricha) and the black spider monkey or maquisapa (Ateles paniscus); besides other species of animals such as the giant otter or river wolf (Pteronura brasiliensis), anteaters, squirrels, bats, and armadillos. The Cordillera Azul National Park is a very important protected area for the science because several new flora and fauna species have been found there; besides, it hosts unsusual and lesser-known plants in special enviroments. The aim of this National Park is the protection of endangered habitats, such as the high-altitude swamps, biological communities in acid rocks, spongy forests and elfin forests, hills of eroded red stones, forest hills and hillsides, isolated lakes, streams and high-elevation rivulets.
