Boris Johnson has become the first UK Foreign Secretary since the 1960s to visit Peru, at the start of a five-day tour of Latin America.

The Foreign Secretary attempts to feed manatees rescued from illegal trafficking in Peru (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
The Foreign Secretary meets some manatees at the CREA Animal rescue centre near Iquitos in the Amazon Basin in Peru (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Johnson encountered some of the wildlife of Latin America in the form of manatees made safe from illegal trafficking at a rescue centre.

Boris Johnson Latin America tour
Boris Johnson, with Peruvian counterpart Nestor Popolizio, tries to feed manatees saved from illegal trafficking (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

It was all a new experience for Britain’s Foreign Secretary when he hand-fed a manatee, also known as a sea cow, with leaves and gave one of them bottled calf milk.

Boris Johnson is shown a baby black spider monkey rescued by rangers after its parents were killed by poachers (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Boris Johnson is shown a baby black spider monkey rescued by rangers after its parents were killed by poachers (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

He flew in accompanied by Peru’s president Martin Vizcarra and foreign minister Nestor Popolizio.

Mrs Johnson looks at a three-toed sloth at the CREA Animal rescue centre near Iquitos in the Amazon Basin (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Mr Johnson, with Nestor Popolizio, looks at a three-toed sloth at the CREA Animal rescue centre near Iquitos in the Amazon Basin (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

However, not all the wildlife turned out to be the real thing – Boris Johnson also made friends with the PanAmerican Games mascot.

Boris Johnson meets the mascot of the 2019 PanAmerican Games at the athletes’ village in Lima, Peru, which is being built with help from UK construction firms (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Boris Johnson meets the mascot of the 2019 PanAmerican Games at the athletes’ village in Lima, Peru, which is being built with help from UK construction firms (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

He dropped by at a village school with electricity and fresh water provided by a UK-funded solar energy project.

Boris Johnson dancing with infant class teacher Adriana Pinedo at the village school in Santa Marta, on the bank of the Amazon (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Boris Johnson dancing with infant class teacher Adriana Pinedo at the village school in Santa Marta, on the bank of the Amazon (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

It was time to fly when Mr Johnson got on a helicopter on his visit to the rainforest. The trip was aimed at supporting the Foreign Office push for closer trade and cultural links with South American states.

Boris Johnson on board a helicopter with his Peruvian counterpart Nestor Popolizio during a visit to the Amazon rainforest (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Boris Johnson on board a helicopter with his Peruvian counterpart Nestor Popolizio during a visit to the Amazon rainforest (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

And there was time for a selfie or two amid all the sight-seeing.

The Foreign Secretary rides on a navy patrol boat on the Amazon with members of the Peruvian armed forces (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
The Foreign Secretary rides on a navy patrol boat on the Amazon with members of the Peruvian armed forces (Stefan Rousseau/PA)