Illescas Peninsula

Illescas Peninsula

Illescas is a peninsula in northwestern Peru. It forms the southern boundary of the Sechura Bay, the largest bay in Peru. Sechura Bay also includes the northernmost portion of the Pacific Ocean that is under the influence of the Peru-Chile or Humboldt Current. The Illescas Peninsula is located in the department of Piura, and is scarcely inhabited. Part of Illescas was declared a reserved zone.^[1] Illescas is also the name given to the highest point of the peninsula (500 m.), the Cerro Illescas.

A mountain between sea and a flatland desert

The Peninsula and Cerro Illescas are located more than 150 km west of the Andes, in the middle of a flatland desert, the Sechura desert. The cerro is a series of small hills (up to 500 m. in elevation) interspersed by narrow and short valleys formed during rare rain events. Vegetation cover is extremely reduced in the peninsula, and only a few shrub and tree species grow in the area, especially mesquite trees and shrubs locally known as zapote. An endemic species of fox, the Sechura desert fox is found in the peninsula. Along the coast, and at its westernmost point, there are colonies of sea lions, blue-footed boobies and Humboldt penguins.

Regions

The only human settlement of the Illescas Peninsula is the fishermen town of Bayovar.

Geographic Features

The Punta Aguja is the westernmost point of the peninsula, and is inhabited by colonies of marine mammals and seabirds
At the south end of Illescas, Playa sin fin extends for more than 100 km, and is the largest, ininterrupted sandy shore along the Peruvian coastline
The Bayovar depression is an area north of Illescas, where a large area of the ground is below sea level (-34 m.). Large deposits of phosphorus ores and diatomite are found near the Bayovar depression
The Estuario de Virrila is a 30 km long canal entering the Sechura desert from the Sechura Bay. Despite its name, it is not an estuary.

References

↑ sernanp.gob.pe "Zona Reservada Illescas en Piura" (in Spanish), retrieved on February 1, 2014

Protected areas of Peru

National Parks	Alto Purús Amotape Hills Bahuaja-Sonene Cordillera Azul Cutervo Huascaran Ichigkat muja – Cordillera del Condor Manú Otishi Rio Abiseo Tingo María Yanachaga-Chemillén

National Sanctuaries	Ampay Calipuy Cordillera de Colán Huayllay Lagunas de Mejia Manglares de Tumbes Megantoni Pampa Hermosa Tabaconas Namballe

Historical Sanctuaries	Chakamarka Machu Picchu Pampas de Ayacucho Pómac Forest

National Reserves	Allpahuayo-Mishana Calipuy Junin Lomas de Lachay Matsés Pacaya-Samiria Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille Paracas Pucacuro Salinas and Aguada Blanca San Fernando System of Islands, Islets and Guano Sites Tambopata Titicaca Tumbes

Wildlife Refuge	Laquipampa Pantanos de Villa Udima Cloud Forests

Landscape Reserves	Cotahuasi Nor Yauyos-Cochas Qhapiya

Communal Reserves	Amarakaeri Asháninka Chayu Nain El Sira Machiguenga Purús Tuntanain Yanesha

National Forests	Alexander von Humboldt Biabo Cordillera Azul Mariscal Cáceres Pastaza–Morona–Marañon

Protection Forests	Aledaño Bocatoma del Canal Nuevo Imperial Alto Mayo Pagaibamba Pui–Pui Puquio Santa Rosa San Matías–San Carlos

Hunting Enclosed Lands	El Angolo Sunchubamba

Reserved Zones	Ancón Bosque de Zárate Qhapiya Chancaybaños Waywash Güeppí Huacachina Humedales de Puerto Viejo Illescas Lomas de Ancón Nieva River Santiago-Comaina Sierra del Divisor Yagua

Areas of Regional Conservation	Choquequirao Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Titankayuq Waytapallana

Private Conservation Areas	Qusqu Qhawarina

Coordinates: 5°55′32″S 81°02′50″W / 5.92556°S 81.04722°W / -5.92556; -81.04722

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