ISLAS GUANAPE, Peru Cruise Port

Islas Guanape, or the Guanape Islands, is a substantial island group located off the coast of Peru. The chain consists of four major islands: Isla Guanape Sur, Isla Guanape Norte, Islotes Los Leones, and Islotes Cantores. All four islands are heavily populated by various species of seabirds. While some birdwatchers might be interested in seeing some of the rarer breeds like the Guanay cormorant, there really is an influx of birds consistently flying and nesting between the islands. Due to this insane amount of birds, the island is filled with guano, better known as bird excrement. In 2009, the islands were declared a protected reserve area because of how valuable the precious guano is. The excrement can be used as an organic fertilizer with a myriad of uses including farming, gardening, soil improvement, and to ignite certain explosives. While the island is otherwise uninhabited by people, there are also colonies of South American sea lions that make their homes there.

• There are hundreds of thousands of seabirds between the four islands, with species such as Peruvian pelicans, Inca terns, Humboldt penguins, and blue-footed boobies.
   
• While cruise ships don’t dock directly on the island, smaller ships will ferry passengers around for a closer, but not too close, look at the avian and mammal inhabitants.
   
• The water surrounding each island is very clear and easy to see through, giving visitors a prime opportunity to check out the marine life that lives and thrives below.
   
• While there are a great number of fish living in the islands’ underground, there are also invertebrates and crustaceans including snails, crabs, and mollusks.