It is the simplest activity to do, it does not require equipment or protection, just see the horizon and enjoy the landscape where forests, rivers and glaciers, the life that lives there. Here also the famous Birdwatching is included, that many people practice in the whole world, and that consists of classifying the observed specimens through photographs.
This activity can be developed throughout the national territory, during all the days of the year.
The flora and fauna of Chile is varied, and its members change depending on the latitude. The animals of the North of the country have feathers and fur according to the climate – very hot in the day and cold at night – and the lack of water. As you travel to the south, the coats swell to protect you from the cold and winds, and the muscles develop to be able to travel sumptuous landscapes full of mountains and rivers.
Many of the animals you can see in Chile are species that are not found anywhere else on the planet, which makes this activity a unique experience. A large number of animals in Chile, especially in the National Parks of the South, are under regional, state and global care, since they have been in danger of extinction for several decades.
For this reason, it is recommended that visitors do not come into direct contact with the animals and, above all, with their habitat, as they remain alive, but in a very delicate balance, which can not be decompensated.
Nature has determined that in these latitudes there are no animals that threaten the lives of humans, such as large carnivores or poisonous snakes. The Puma, the largest predator in the area, does not approach humans and it is very difficult to see it, even in its natural habitat, as there are very few left. Therefore, it is essential that the protected ecological system in Patagonia be respected.
Among the animals that live in Patagonia, you can find:
MAMMALS
Puma: as we said is an animal that is very difficult to find, even in its habitat, since there are few specimens and do not like to approach humans. The Chilean Puma is a smaller feline, which feeds on smaller animals, such as guanacos and birds. It inhabits the entire south of Chile, especially in the Torres del Paine Park. It can weigh up to 80 kilos and measure 2.8 meters.
Guanaco: from the family of the camelids, the Chilean guanaco appears throughout the geography, mainly at the ends. In Aysén, it appears in the pampas and Tierra del fuego, as well as in Torres del Paine. It is an animal that measures about two meters, thin and friendly, which allows people to approach him and take pictures. Some people domesticate them and use them to move things, as well as for tourists to take pictures with them. They live in groups, usually of one male and several females, although groups of several males have been found. This animal is from the family of the llama and the alpaca, which live in the north of the country.
Could: this animal belongs to the family of deer. It is small (40 centimeters tall and 10 kg.), In fact, it is the smallest of its kind in America. In Chile, it appears in forests from Curicó to the south, but it is more abundant in the Island of Chiloé. It is a herbivorous animal, which is in serious risk of extinction. He is very shy and delicate. He only goes out at night to look for food. It is recognized by its size, by its small round horns and by the white spots on its back and legs, especially in younger animals. It is one of the exclusive animals of Chile.
Huemul: another animal typical of the geography of Chile, the huemul appears on the national coat of arms. It is found throughout the South of the country, at a height of between 450 and 1300 meters. It also belongs to the family of deer, but its body is larger than that of Pudu. It can reach the 63 meter high and weigh up to 100 kilos. The females are smaller and have large ears, of about twenty cents meters. Only males have horns. The tone of the skin varies depending on the seasons, but specimens with gray fur and lighter or yellow spots have been seen, although they are always white on the part of the groin. The ears, eyes and nose are always gray.
Zorro Cumpeo: It is a small fox, which appears throughout the country and can be easily seen in the South of Chile. In Punta Arenas, the cumpeos or culpeos foxes cross the roads in full light and delight of those who visit. The skin is yellowish and have a long tail that usually ends with a black coat. It can weigh up to 4 kilos and measure one meter. It is a carnivorous animal, which feeds on smaller animals such as lambs, hares, rodents and lizards.
Ferret: Unlike common ferrets, the Chilean ferret seems to be the mix between a skunk and a porcupine. It is an animal with a long body, flat feet and glands that emit a stinking liquid when they reach one year of age. Generally, it is black in its lower part, while the hair becomes gray in the back, and from a distance, it would seem that they were barbs, like those of a porcupine. On the forehead, it has a line of white hair, and the tail is short and the same color as the rest of the back. It is small and very fast, and it is up to Magallanes, up to 3000 meters high.
Cururo: is found in Magallanes and is very similar to an otter. Its ears are small and it looks like a large rodent. Live in the water and eat fish. The coat is dark, black or brown, and has large teeth and claws.
Colocolo: another feline that is only in the Chilean territory. Live in height, about 4 thousand meters above sea level. It is recognized by its fur, which is reddish with black stripes on its legs. It has a tail that measures 35 centimeters, while its body does not exceed 70 cm. It is very difficult to see, since there are only a few specimens in the area.
BIRDS
In Chile live about three hundred species of birds, which are distributed throughout the geography, depending on the climate and available food. Only in the south of the country, you can find five exclusive species, which do not live in any other part of the planet and which, of course, are under protection. You can find large birds, such as candor and the emperor penguin; in addition to smaller birds, such as the lloica, the carpenter or the nightingale. The most important birds are:
Ñandú: It appears in the altiplano and in the Chilean Patagonia, and is the largest bird in the country, weighing up to 25 kilos. They move in group of up to thirty specimens, to look for seeds to feed themselves. The males are in charge of protecting the eggs, during the 40 days that the incubation lasts, and of protecting the chicks once they come out of their shell.
Martín Pescador: Live all over the South of Chile, near lakes and rivers, where you can find food. It measures about 40 centimeters and is dedicated, primarily, to look for fish in its habitat. It can be seen standing on trees waiting for some fish to feed. The males have a gray head, a blue back with black stripes, and a white neck. The very pointed peak.
Caranca: It can be seen in the channels of the South, after Chiloé. Live as a couple It resembles geese, but it is smaller. The male is completely white and has a gray beak, while the female is dark on the back and has white lines on the chest. It feeds on algae, but it is not common for it to enter the water.
Cachaña: this parrot lives only in Chile, that is, it is one of the exclusive species of the country. It is very similar to another species of parrot, the Choroy, but it lives much further south, encountering specimens even in Tierra del Fuego. It is a dark green bird on the back, clear on the chest and has a long red tail. Travel in large groups and it is very busy.
Imperial Cormorant: lives in the coasts of Southern Chile, where it nests with hundreds of other specimens. It measures about 75 cm and it is common to see it near the ports from Puerto Montt to the South. It is black on the back and white on the stomach.
Penguins: southern Chile, especially Antarctica, is home to a large variety of penguins, which live in numerous colonies along with other marine animals. They are birds that can not fly, their wings mutated to help them swim and many say that they actually fly underwater because of the speed they reach. They walk awkwardly and are very nice. In the South there are colonies of more than one million copies. The best-known penguins are those of Magellan, which has two white bands on the body and is 70 cm tall; Adelia’s, which is black and has white blinders; the Papua, which reaches 80 cm in height and has a white triangle over its eyes; the Antarctic penguin, head and neck white, are the most numerous; and the King Penguin, which has blue fur on its head, black on the rest of the body and yellow spots on the sides of the head, at the beginning of the chest and at the beak.
MARINE ANIMALS
Whales: the largest animals on the planet can also be found in Southern Chile. The blue whale, the largest animal of all, tends to swim along the shores of the Shetland Islands. It reaches 32 meters in length and 150 kilos in weight, feeding on smaller animals and, above all, krill. Migrate to this area every summer, where you can see them in pairs.
Orcas: is the most ferocious animal among those who inhabit Patagonia, since it is very fast and its diet includes most of the other animals in this area: seals, penguins, birds and dolphins. It measures 9 meters long and is recognized by its fur, which is black on the back and white on the belly. They have a dorsal fin that exceeds the meter in males and reaches only 60 cm in females.
Sea elephants: Seals and walruses inhabit the South, and among the largest of this species are sea elephants. They are recognized because they are very heavy, they measure about eight meters and the males have a protuberance in the snout, hence they are called elephants. They live in colonies, where there is only one male in charge of a dozen females. They are very fierce and feed on smaller animals, especially penguins. The males fight for territory, doing a lot of damage in the muzzle when faced by the supremacy of the colony.
FLORA
As for the flora, in the South of Chile there are unique specimens of unparalleled beauty. They are the trees and shrubs that create the green landscape of Southern Chile, with wonderful scenery.
Some species of trees and shrubs are also in danger of disappearing. Therefore, it is advised not to tear branches or flowers, do not harm your environment. The most typical trees in the area are the coligue and the araucaria, the most important in the country, which takes more than a century to reach one meter in height.
Alerce: it is found mostly in Chiloé, whose climate favors its growth. The larch is a protected tree, since it was declared a Natural Monument in 1976. It takes three years to grow one millimeter in diameter and can reach 50 meters in height. Generally, it appears in places where there are other trees, such as airras and coigues, which also grow in humid places. It is recognized by its pyramidal shape, formed by the irregularity of its leaves. The oldest specimen dates from 3600 years ago, age surpassed only by the California pine.
Araucaria: originally from Chile and Argentina, it only appears in some places, preferably over 800 meters high. It prefers sandy soils and can survive in volcanic, humid soils, where snow can withstand temperatures and last longer. They grow extremely slow, it can take more than a hundred years to reach the meter in height and most of the specimens in the South already reach 50 meters. The trunk is smooth and straight, and its branches begin to appear several meters above the ground, resembling the shape of a callampa. It has very hard leaves, with a small spine on the tip, and they give off reddish-brown seeds. Araucaria is a protected species, it is illegal to cut it or harm it.
Coigue: is an evergreen tree, whose branches grow horizontally. This feature allows you to recognize it at a glance and differentiate it from the many other bushes and trees that grow in its environment. Its leaves are small and jagged. It appears mostly in Aysén and is the most characteristic tree of Southern Chile. It grows at full height, but prefers moist places. It grows quite fast and forms pure forests, although it appears next to oaks and laurels as well. The trunk is gray, so it is easy to recognize, and in its upper part are similar fruits to nuts.
Lingue: it is also an evergreen tree, although its leaves become discolored at the beginning of autumn and it loses several of them. It is compact and its leaves are large, oval, very dark green. It has bluish fruits, since it belongs to the avocado family, but this one is very bitter and inedible. It is located, among other places, in Chiloé. It does not create forests and is not demanding with respect to the soil where it grows, it can be found in all types of terrain next to laurels and oaks. It grows very fast, especially after felling. The trunk has a gray tone, with protuberances, and abundant leaves that take a reddish color when they dry.
Notro: ever green tree, it exhibits surprisingly red flowers in spring. Its leaves are thin and long, very dark green. It is located up to Tierra del Fuego, since it prefers sandy soils and can grow on volcanic soils. It reaches 15 meters in height and does not create its own forests, but lives in places where there are other species.
Ulmo: Appears in Chiloé, mainly in the Cordillera de la Costa, where it is associated with other specimens of oak, laurel and coligüe. It prefers humid lands and on the 700 meters of height. It is an evergreen tree, like many in the area, which can reach 40 meters in height, because it grows very fast. It is recognized because, in spring and summer, it is covered with precious white flowers. The flowers are hermaphroditic and full of nectar, and give the impression of covering the Ulmos with snow when they bloom. Its leaves are of a dark green tone, semi-undulating, about 6 cm long. It has a brown fruit, which contains several seeds inside.
Calafate: this shrub appears mostly in the area of General Carrera, in the south of Chile. It is a small shrub, one or two meters high, which grows in Patagonia. It has small leaves, yellow and green, that give life to fruits similar to plums, but much smaller. The legend says that whoever eats these fruits or berries, return to Patagonia. It has large spines on its body, which reach three cm in length.