Guano Islands: Perú

December 2008

José A. Ochoa

Guano Islands are a group of small rocky islands off the coast of Peru, usually they are bordered with cliffs on all sides, and mostly covered by the nests and guano of many seabirds. Guano is a quechua word “wanu”, meaning “droppings of sea birds”.

Islands visited

Islas Guañape

Isla Santa

Isla MazorcaIslas Ballestas, San Gallan

Guano is an effective fertilizer, consists of ammonia, with high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen. These islands were of interest for their extensive guano deposits. The Incas assigned great value to guano, restricting access to the islands.

Isla Mazorca

Seabirds

Sula variegata Pelecanus thagus

Scorpions were collected at night with UV light detection in rocky areas, as well as under stones and bird nests during the day.

birdnest

Hadruroides tishqu

Hadruroides is the only scorpion genus present in these islands

Four specimens under one bird nest !!!!

Islas Ballestas

Guano islands are currently protected by the Peruvian state

Isla San Gallan, Ica

Caleta Huacho on the coastal mainland, northern Peru

José A. Ochoa and two local fishermen, Isla Mazorca

Joyce Vitorino and José A. Ochoa, Islas Ballestas

Ecuador

20 days (8–18 November, 14–22December 2008)

ca. 1700 km, between 300–2000 m, exclusively through montane rainforest on the eastern and western sides of the Andes in the following provinces: Pichincha, Napo, Tunguragua and Morona Santiago

Baños, Tunguragua

Tityus roigi Teuthraustes

Tityus asthenes

Misahualli river, Napo

Nanegalito, Pichincha

Tityus bastosi

Ananteris ashmolei

Tityus demangei

Faustino Tsenkush , Marco Shakai and Cristobal Chiriap

Tayunts, Los Tayos

Acknowledgments to: Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales de Perú (INRENA)

Proyecto Especial de Promoción del Aprovechamiento de Abonos Provenientes de Aves Marinas (PROABONOS)

Ministerio del Ambiente de la Republica del Ecuador

Museo Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales

AMNH Kalbfleisch Postdoctoral Fellowship

Help in fieldwork Joyce Vitorino Villegas (Univ. Nac. Cusco). Eufemio Rea and Cesar Rea (Huacho). Faustino Tsenkush , Marco Shakai and Cristobal Chiriap (Los Tayos, Ecuador)