Associated protocols

The Vinchos River Valley is located in the eastern sub-humid Andes of the Department of Ayacucho, between the Huamanga-Vischongo Basin divide, to the east and the Apacheta High Sierras, to the west. Right of Way (RoW) descends steeply from the crest of the Huamanga-Vischongo Basin towards a highly cultivated valley landscape (90%), with relict patches of resinous scrub (8%) and puna grassland (2%) ).

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The Vinchos River flows north towards the Mantaro Basin, with an elevation of approximately 3,200 meters (meters above sea level) at the junction with the RoW. To the west, the valley is limited by the Apacheta Mountains, which start at around 4,000 meters above sea level. The Rio Vinchos valley hosts several species of cacti, including Echinopsis peruviana (cataloged by Peruvian legislation as "vulnerable") and the regionally endemic Oroya peruviana.

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The Vinchos River valley is among the most important ELUs for birds within the BMAP due to the presence of numerous rare species observed during previous field assessments, such as Agriornis andicola. However, the only species considered sensitive is the Montañes Barbudo (Oreonympha nobilis), an endemic hummingbird of restricted distribution in southern Peru. The Vinchos River has been invaded by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and therefore lacks native fish species.