Llanos de Challe National Park

Localization

Northern Chile, 40 km northwest of Huasco

Access

Easy

Characteristic

457 km²;Hilly to low mountains coastal region. Its highest elevation is Cerro Negro at 950 m. Typical ecosystems: coastal desert, sand dunes, wetlands, marine ecosystems. Very rare xerophytic phytocenoses. The park is one of the best place for contemplating the natural phenomenon known as Desierto Florido (Flowery Desert), which occurs occasionally as a consequence of El Niño-Southern Oscillation every couple of years, usually between August and October.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

9 mammal species

Carnivores - Weasels, Otters, Badgers, Skunks (Mustelidae): Marine Otter

- Dogs (Canidae): Argentinian Grey Fox; Culpeo Fox

Seals, Sea-Lions and Walruses - Eared Seals (Otariidae): South American Sea Lion

Whales - Dolphins (Delphinidae): Bottelnose Delphin

Even-toed Ungulates - Camels and Lamas (Camelidae): Guanaco

Birds:

56 bird species

Tinamiformes - Tinamous (Tinamidae): Chilean Tinamou

Pelecaniformes - Pelicans (Pelecanidae): Peruvian Pelican

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Lake Duck; Black-necked Swan; Speckled Teal

Birds of Prey - American Vultures (Cathartidae): Andean Condor

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Peregrine Falcon

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): Red-gartered Coot; Common Moorhen; Plumbeous Rail

Charadriiformes - Gulls (Laridae): Kelp Gull

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Picui Ground-Dove

Reptiles:

4 reptile species

Lizards and Snakes - Whiptails and Tegus (Teiidae): Callopistes palluma

- Neotropical Ground Lizzards ( Tropiduridae): Liolaemus nigromaculatus, L. nitidus and L. platei; Microlophus atacamensis

- Geckoes (Gekkonidae): Homonota guudiohaudii

- Colubrids (Colubridae): Philodryas chamissionis

Amphibians:

Frogs - Toads (Bufonidae): toad Bufo atacamensis

Plants:

278 vascular plant species

Dicotyledons:

Ranunculales - Ranunculaceae: Alkali Buttercup (Ranunculus cymbalaria)

- Papaveraceae:  Pricklypoppy (Argemone hunnemannii)

Caryophyllales - Portulacaeae: Redmaids (Calandrinia spp.)

- Polygonaceae: Lastarriaea chilensis

- Chenopodiaceae: Saltbush (Atriplex sp.); Seepweed (Suaeda foliosa); Swampfire (Sarcocornia fruticosa)

- Tetragoniaceae: Tetragonia angustifolia and T. pedunculata

- Cactaceae: Copiapoa dealbata, C. echinoides and C. fiedleriana; Cumulopuntia sphaerica; Miqueliopuntia miquelii

- Frankeniaceae: Frankenia sp.

Malvales - Malvaceae: Cristaria gracilis, C. viridiluteola and C. spp.

Oxalidales - Oxalidaceae:  Woodsorrel (Oxalis gigantea)

Fabales - Fabaceae: Adesmia sp.; Senna cumingii

Zygophyllales - Zygophyllaceae: Fagonbush (Fagonia chilensis)

Malpighiales - Euphorbiaceae: Spurges (Euphorbia spp.)

Gentianales - Rubiaceae: Cruckshanksia montiana

- Apocynaceae: Skytanthus acutus

Boraginales - Boraginaceae: Heliotropes (Heliotropium filifolium, H. megalanthum, H. myosotifolium and H. sinuatum)

Lamiales - Verbenaceae: Turkey Tangle Fogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)

- Bignoniaceae: Argylia radiata

Solanales - Solanaceae: Tobacco (Nicotiana solanifolia)

- Nolanaceae: Nolana ramosissima, N. rupicola and Nolana spp.

Asterales - Asteraceae: Brittlebushes (Encelia canescens and E. tomentosa); Haplopappus sp.; Ophryosporus triangularis; Polyachirus sp.; Proustia ilicifolia; Ragwort (Senecio sp.)

Piperales - Aristolochiaceae: Dutchman´s Pipe (Aristolochia chilensis)

Monocotyledons:

Liliales - Alstroemeriaceae: Leontochir ovallei - typical, very rare plant species; Lily of Incas (Alstroemeria diluta)

Poales - Juncaceae: Rush (Juncus sp.)

Asparagales - Amaryllidaceae: Rhodophiala bagnoldii and R. phycelloides

- Alliaceae: Leucocoryne appendiculata

- Tecophilaeaceae: Zephyra elegans

Possible activities

Note

Picture - source chileflora.com