The Sechura desert is classified as a warm coastal lowland desert and receives little precipitation, between six and eight inches annually. As it is a coastal desert, it receives the majority of its precipitation from fog. This fog is created out at sea and drifts inland, depositing moisture in areas lying between 2,300 and 3,300 feet. Lower lying areas of the Sechura receive almost no precipitation. The temperature of the Sechura desert varies greatly and is much higher in summer, when it is also dryer, than in the cooler, wetter winters. The average annual temperature of the region is 71.6 Fahrenheit.
Although dry, the region of the Sechura desert has experienced expansive flooding in its history. In 1728, an enormous tsunami created by an earthquake out at sea wiped out the town of Sechura that gave the desert its name. The survivors of the tragedy moved the town to its current location further inland. In more recent years, the meteorological phenomenon of El Nino has caused widespread flooding. In 1998, overflowing rivers poured into the arid, low-lying areas of Sechura, causing what was temporarily the second largest lake in Peru to be formed.
Despite the scarcity of plant life in the Sechura desert, different regions of the desert are home to their own varieties of flora. Carob trees dominate in the north, and the coastal valleys are home to the sauce and pajaro bobo. Close to the sea, beach grasses prevail in salty soils, and up in the hills several species of cactus proliferate including the papaya silvestre and the cardo de lomas. In some coastal regions, wetlands provide a habitat for marsh plants.
Several different species of animals and birds exist in the arid region of the Sechura desert. Riparian, amazilia and oasis hummingbirds can be spotted flitting between cactus flowers where they can be found, and closer to the coast numerous seabirds can be found, including the ovenbird and Baird's sandpiper. Coastal animals are also abundant; a trip to the jagged coastline might be rewarded with a sighting of a South American sea lion or a Southern fur seal. Further inland, cuis cerranos -- a relative of the guinea pig -- long-tongued bats, South American foxes and armadillos are common.
