guano

Guano - Peru's White Gold

Guano - Peru's White Gold

Guano (seabird droppings) covers the coastal islands and cliffs of Peru in a thick, odiferous, white layer. Derived from the Quechua word huanu (manure), guano has been used as a natural, nitrate-rich fertilizer since pre-Inca times. The sunny atmosphere of the coast bakes in the nitrates, and lack of rain ensures that the droppings are not washed away.