Pantanos de Villa Wildlife Refuge

Pantanos de Villa Wildlife Refuge
Map of Peru
Location	Santiago de Surco, Lima, Peru
Coordinates
Established	1989

The Pantanos de Villa Wildlife Refuge (located in Villa El Salvador, Lima, Peru) is a 263-hectare protected habitat for more than 208 species of birds including local residents, Andean migrants, and northern and southern hemisphere migrants. Species which inhabit the refuge include herons and egrets, White-cheeked pintail, Great grebe, Andean coot, Neotropic cormorant, Peruvian pelican, Franklin's gull, Gray-headed gull, Puna ibis, Black vulture, Peruvian thick-knee, Black skimmer, American oystercatcher and Wilson's phalarope. The refuge also protects 11 species of fish, as well as rodents, bats, 5 species of reptiles and amphibians, 11 species of molluscs and 54 species of arthropods.

File:2014 view of Laguna Principal, Refugio de Vida Silvestre los Pantanos de Villa.jpg

Laguna Principal, Pantanos de Lima

The refuge has observation towers, five walking trails and an aquatic route. Bodies of water on the refuge include Laguna Principal, Laguna Genesis, Laguna ANAP, and Laguna Sur (Marvilla). Approximately three hours are needed to complete the circuit of the network of trails.

The wetlands were formed from waterways of the Rímac River and in ancient times formed a wet prairie between the Lima area and the Pachacamac area. The Quechuan word "waylla" meaning "green prairie" is considered the origin of the name "Villa". The remnant wetland in the refuge, once located far to the south of Lima, has become surrounded and thus threatened by the growing urban area.