Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park

Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Location	Los Lagos Region, Chile
Nearest city	Puerto Varas
Area	2,530 km²
Established	1926
Governing body	Corporación Nacional Forestal

Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park is located in the Andes, in the Llanquihue Province, in Los Lagos Region of Chile. This national park covers about 2,530 square kilometres. It was established in 1926 and is the oldest National Park of Chile and South America. This park is adjoining the Nahuel Huapi National Park of Argentina. One of the highlights of the park is the Todos los Santos Lake surrounded by stunning snow-capped volcanoes, among which are the Tronador, the Osorno and the Puntiagudo. Another attraction are the Petrohué Waterfalls.

Flora

Average annual precipitation in the Petrohué area (lat 41°08'S., elevation 700 m) is about 4,000 mm. Under this extremely wet climate at moderate elevations, the roble forest is replaced by the Valdivian temperate rain forests along with olivillo (Aextoxicum punctatum), ulmo (Eucryphia cordifolia), and canelo (Drimys winteri). At the latitudes of the park and at higher elevations, the monkey puzzle forest, common at more northern latitudes, is replaced by forest of coihue (Nothofagus dombeyi) and lenga.

Fauna

Mammals include the Pudú, the Puma, the Argentine Grey Fox and the Kodkod. Furthermore, the park is home to two marsupial species: the Monito del Monte and the Long-nosed Shrew Opossum (Comadrejita Trompuda). There area several bird species inhabiting the park including the Huala, the Magellanic Flightless Steamer Duck, the Torrent Duck, the Ringed Kingfisher, the Traro, hummingbirds, Magellanic Woodpecker, the Ashy-headed Goose, the Red-gartered Coot and eagles.

References

• http://www.sernatur.cl/Areas_Silvestres/Los_Lagos/Los_Lagos.html (Spanish)
• http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1386i/chile-arg/wet/index.html
• [1]