Lagunas de Mejia

It is situated in the department of Arequipa, province of Islay and has an area of 690 6 hectares. It is a refuge and resting area for migratory birds over more than 1 242,74 mi. along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. This area provides the habitat and food mainly to birds coming from the North Hemisphere, such as the sanderling (Calidris alba). On its shores we can find toads (Bufo limensis); in the hills of the surrounding beaches, small lizards, such as Microlophus tigris; and from the lower areas, the Sechuran fox (Pseudalopex sechurae). Also, some species of fish, such as the striped mullet (Mugil Cephalus) and the pejerrey (Basilichthys sp.) have been recorded.On the beach area, there are approximately 180 bird species, both resident and migratory.



Some of them are the grey gull (Larus modestus), the sanderling (Calidris alba), the black skimmer (Rinchops niger), the band-tailed gull (Larus belcheri), the kelp gull (Larus dominicanus), and the gray-hooded gull (Larus cirrocepallus).Other birds that can be found in the lagoons are the white-tufted grebe (Rollandia rolland), the great grebe (Podiceps major), the speckled Andean teal (Anas flavirostris) the white-cheeked pintail (Anas bahamensis), the Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera), the common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), the American coot (Fulica americana), the Virginia rail (Rallus limicola), the cocoi heron (Ardea cocoi) the great white egret (Egretta alba), the snowy egret (Egretta thula), and the little blue heron (Hydronassa caerulea). The Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) prefers to live in areas with sparse vegetation.

The predominant vegetation is the bulrush or junco (Scirpus sp.), the cattail (typha sp.), and the grasslands associated with the Salicornia fructicosa. In the lagoons there are some algae from the Chara sp. genus.Some of the objectives of the Lagunas de Mejías National Sanctuary are to protect the endangered resident birds, as well as the migratory species; to conserve the refuge of those migratory birds on their north-south routes; to preserve the habitat for endemic species in danger of extinction; to maintain important wild flora associations typical of coastal aquatic ecosystems; and to promote the economic development of the region through intensified tourist activities.