The Ballestas Islands (Spanish: Islas Ballestas) are a group of small
islands near the town of Paracas within the Paracas District of the Pisco
Province in the Ica Region, on the south coast of Peru.
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Port of Paracas
A shipping port was built along the northern peninsula, where deeper
water permits larger transport and cruise ships to anchor.
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Tourists can have access to the Paracas National Reserve, a large
marine reserve, while the ships are protected against ocean waves and
currents.
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The peninsula includes red sand beaches formed from sands eroded from
nearby cliffs.
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The port is reached by a single road from the mainland, and passes
through the Paracas National Reserve.
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See more at
Paracas Peninsula - Wikipedia.
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Taking the boat to the islands
These islands are accessible from the resort town of Paracas (near
Pisco) by tour boat which typically lasts 2 hours.
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The visit to the Ballestas Islands is, from an ecotourism point of
view, probably the best known along the Peruvian coast.
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Paracas Candelabra
The Paracas Candelabra, also called the Candelabra of the Andes, is a
well-known prehistoric geoglyph found on the northern face of the
Paracas Peninsula at Pisco Bay in Peru.
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Pottery found nearby has been radio carbon dated to 200 BCE, the time
of the Paracas culture.
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The design is cut 0.61 m (2 ft) into the soil, with stones possibly
from a later date placed around it.
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The figure is 180 m (600 ft) tall, large enough to be seen 19.3 km (12
mi) at sea.
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See more at
Paracas Candelabra - Wikipedia.
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Guano
Guano (Spanish from Quechua: wanu) is the accumulated excrement
of seabirds or bats.
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Guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to the high content of
nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for
plant growth.
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Guano was also, to a lesser extent, sought for the production of
gunpowder and other explosive materials.
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The 19th-century seabird guano trade played a pivotal role in the
development of modern input-intensive farming. The demand for guano
spurred the human colonization of remote bird islands in many parts of
the world.
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See more at
Guano - Wikipedia.
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Red-legged cormorant
The red-legged cormorant (Poikilocarbo gaimardi), also known as
the red-legged shag, red-footed cormorant, red-footed shag, Gaimard's
cormorant and grey cormorant, is a species of cormorant resident to the
coastline of South America.
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The red-legged cormorant is native to the coast of South America. On
the Pacific coast it ranges from Macabi Island, Peru to Chiloe Island,
Chile.
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See more at
Red-legged cormorant - Wikipedia.
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Inca tern
The Inca tern (Larosterna inca) is a Near Threatened species of
bird in subfamily Sterninae of the family Laridae, the gulls, terns, and
skimmers.
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It is found in Chile, Ecuador, and Peru and has wandered to Central
America and Hawaii.
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See more at
Inca tern - Wikipedia.
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Turkey vulture
The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) is the most widespread of the
New World vultures.
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One of three species in the genus Cathartes of the family Cathartidae,
the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip
of South America.
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It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open areas, including
subtropical forests, shrublands, pastures, and deserts.
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See more at
Turkey vulture - Wikipedia.
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Guanay cormorant
The guanay cormorant or guanay shag (Leucocarbo bougainvillii) is
a member of the cormorant family found on the Pacific coast of Peru and
northern Chile.
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After breeding it spreads south to southern parts of Chile and north
to Ecuador, and has also been recorded as far north as Panama and
Colombia – probably a result of mass dispersal due to food shortage in
El Niño years.
- Its major habitats include shallow seawater and rocky shores.
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See more at
Guanay cormorantt - Wikipedia.
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Ballesta Island South (left) and Ballesta Island Center (right).
The Ballestas Islands or Guaneras Islands are a group of islands and
islets composed of rock formations near the district of Paracas in Peru,
among them: Ballesta Norte, Ballesta Centro and Ballesta Sur.
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They are also known as the 'Galapagos Islands of Peru' for their
impressive marine fauna, thousands of guano birds and hundreds of
marine mammals that live in the caves and natural arches that were
formed by sea erosion over the years.
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Dolphins fishing
Dolphins are hunted in several places around the world, including the
Solomon Islands, the Faroe Islands, Peru, and Japan
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Dolphin meat is consumed in a small number of countries worldwide,
which include Japan and Peru (where it is referred to as
chancho marino, or "sea pork").
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One mainstay of the Inca army and the general population was dried
fish. Sea creatures like seabirds, penguins, sea lions and dolphins
were eaten.
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See more at
Dolphin - Wikipedia.
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Crossing a natural rocky arch
Crossing a natural rocky arch to reach the Ballesta Island North.
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Peruvian booby
The Peruvian booby (Sula variegata) is an endemic bird of the
Peruvian current, and an important predator of the marine community to
which it belongs.
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It is the most abundant seabird species that inhabits the Peruvian
coast and the second most important guano-producing seabird.
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The Peruvian booby is confined to the waters of the Humboldt current,
off the coast of South America.
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They can be found off the shores of Peru, south to the middle part of
Chile.
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See more at
Peruvian booby - Wikipedia.
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Humboldt Penguins
The Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) is a medium-sized
penguin.
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It resides in South America, its range mainly contains most of coastal
Peru.
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Humboldt penguins nest on islands and rocky coasts, burrowing holes in
guano and sometimes using scrapes or caves.
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See more at
Humboldt Penguin - Wikipedia.
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Rock formation known as the profile of Christ
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Grapsus crab
Grapsus grapsus is one of the most common crabs along the western
coast of the Americas. It is known as the red rock crab.
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Grapsus grapsus is found along the Pacific coast of Mexico,
Central America, and South America (as far south as northern Peru),
and on nearby islands, including the Galápagos Islands.
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See more at
Grapsus grapsus - Wikipedia.
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Former installation for collecting guano with Turkey vulture.
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South American sea lion
The South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens, formerly
Otaria byronia), also called the southern sea lion and the
Patagonian sea lion, is a sea lion found on the western and southeastern
coasts of South America.
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The South American sea lion is found along the coasts and offshore
islands of South America, from Peru south to Cape Horn and then north
to southern Brazil.
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See more at
South American sea lion - Wikipedia.
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Starfish
A starfish, barnacles, and sea anemone exposed at low-tide.
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Starfish species inhabit all of the world's oceans. Habitats range
from tropical coral reefs, rocky shores, tidal pools, mud, and sand to
kelp forests, seagrass meadows and the deep-sea floor down to at least
6,000 m (20,000 ft). The greatest diversity of species occurs in
coastal areas.
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See more at
Starfish - Wikipedia.
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Blackish oystercatcher (bottom)
The blackish oystercatcher (Haematopus ater) is a species of
wading bird in the oystercatcher family Haematopodidae.
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Franklin's gull
Franklin's gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) is a small (length 32–36
cm, 12.6–14.2 in) gull.
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It breeds in central provinces of Canada and adjacent states of the
northern United States.
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It is a migratory bird, wintering in Argentina, the Caribbean, Chile,
and Peru.
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See more at
Franklin's gull - Wikipedia.
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Cross next to the port to protect sailors
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See also
Sources
Location
