Pali-Aike National Park

Localization

South Chile; 196 km northwest of Punta Arenas

Access

Easy

Characteristic

50 km²; The park includes part of the Pali-Aike Volcanic Field with large basalt lava flows. The park draws its name from a prominent volcanic cone of a extinct volcano known as the Pali Aike Crater (only 282 m high). Typical ecosystems: volcanic biotopes, steppe, semidesert. Lake and wetlands in a close vicinity.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Edentata - Armadillos (Dasypodidae):  Large Hairy Armadillo

Carnivores - Dogs (Canidae): Argentinian Grey Fox

- Cats (Felidae): Kodkod

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

Birds:

Struthioniformes - Rheas (Rheidae): Lesser Rhea

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): White-tufted Grebe

Pelecaniformes - Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Rock Shag

Ciconiiformes - Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae): Black-faced Ibis

Phoenicopteriformes - Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae): Chilean Flamingo

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Black-headed Duck; Crested Duck; Ashy-headed Goose; Ruddy-headed Goose; Upland Goose; Rosy-billed Pochard; Flying Steamerduck; Black-necked Swan; Coscoroba Swan; Silver Teal; Chiloe Wigeon

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

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Chimango Caracara; Crested Caracara; Peregrine Falcon; American Kestrel

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

Charadriiformes - Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Baird's Sandpiper; South American Snipe

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Tawny-throated Dotterel; Southern Lapwing; Magellanic Plover; Rofous-chested Plover; Two-banded Plover

- Seedsnipes (Thinocoridae): Least Seedsnipe

- Gulls (Laridae): Kelp Gull

Perching Birds - Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Band-tailed Earthcreeper; Scale-throated Earthcreeper; Common Miner; Short-billed Miner

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Fire-eyed Diucon; Cinnamon-bellied Ground-Tyrant; Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrant; Rufous-backed Negrito; Chocolate-vented Tyrant; Tufted Tit-Tyrant

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Chilean Swallow

- Thrushes and Chats (Turdidae): Austral Thrush

- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae): Correndera Pipit

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Austral Blackbird; Long-tailed Meadowlark

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Black-throated Finch; Grey-hooded Sierra-Finch; Rufous-collared Sparrow; Greater Yellow-Finch; Patagonian Yellow-Finch

- Finches (Fringillidae): Black-chinned Siskin

 

Plants:

Epherdopsida:

Ephedrales - Ephedraceae: Ephedra frustillata

Ferns:

Polypodiales - Woodsiaceae: Cyptopteris fragilis

Dicotyledons:

Ranunculales - Ranunculaceae: Pacific Anemone (Anemone multifida); Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens) - introduced species and Buttercup (Ranunculus pseudotrullifolius); Water Buttercup (Batrachium aquatile); Hamadryas delfinii; Mousetail (Myosurus patagonicus)

- Berberidaceae: Barberries (Berberis buxifolia and B. empetrifolia)

Brassicales - Crucifers (Brassicaceae): Drabas (Draba funiculosa and D. magellanica); Onuris papillosa; Hedgemustard (Sisymbrium magellanicum); Pennycress (Thlaspi magellanicum); Common Shepherd´s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris ) - introduced species; Herb Sophia (Descurainia sophia) - introduced species; Common Whitlowgrass (Erophila verna) - introduced species

Caryophyllales - Caryophyllaceae: Catchfly (Silene magellanica); Colobanthus lycopodioides, C. subulatus and C. quitensis; Field Mouse-Ear (Cerastium arvense) - introduced species; Sandwort (Arenaria digyna); Starwort (Stellaria debilis)

- Portulacaeae: Redmaids (Calandrinia caespitosa)

- Plumbaginaceae:  Sea Pink (Armeria maritima)

- Polygonaceae: Common Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) - introduced species

- Chenopodiaceae: Riged Goosefoot (Chenopodium carnosulum); Seepweed (Suaeda patagonica)

Santalales - Santalaceae: Arjona patagonica and A. pusilla

Malvales - Malvaceae: Lecanophora subacaule

Rosales - Rosaceae: Acaenas (Acaena caespitosa, A. integerrima, A. magellanica and A. poeppigiana), Argentinian Biddy-Biddy (Acaena pinnatifida); Avens (Geum magellanicum)

- Rhamnaceae: Discaria chacaye

Oxalidales - Oxalidaceae:  Woodsorrels (Oxalis enneaphylla, O. loricata and O. squamoso-radicosa)

Saxifragales - Saxifragaceae: Saxifrage (Saxifraga magellanica)

Fabales - Fabaceae: Adesmia boronoides, A. lotoides, A. pumila, A. salicornioides and A. villosa; Milkvetch (Astragalus nivicola and A. palenae); Vetch (Vicia bijuga)

Malpighiales - Violaceae: Violet (Viola maculata)

- Euphorbiaceae: Spurge (Euphorbia collina)

Geraniales - Geraniaceae: Geranium (Geranium magellanicum); Common Stork´s Bill (Erodium cicutarium) - introduced species

Apiales - Apiaceae: Azorella acaulis, A. fuegiana, A. monantha and A. trifurcata; Bolax gummifera; Huanaca burkartii; Sweetroot (Osmorhiza berterii)

Ericales - Ericaceae: Snowberry (Gaultheria pumila)

- Empetraceae: Crowberry (Empetrum rubrum)

- Polemoniaceae: Slender Phlox (Microsteris gracilis); Annual Polemonium (Polemonium micranthum)

- Primulaceae: Primrose (Primula magellanica); Rockjasmine (Androsace salasii)

Gentianales - Gentianaceae: Gentian (Gentiana sedifolia); Dwarf Gentian (Gentianella magellanica)

- Rubiaceae: Bedstraw (Galium araucanum) and Catchweed Bedstraw (Galium aparine) - introduced species; Oreopolus glacialis

Boraginales - Boraginaceae: Fiddleneck (Amsinckia calycina); Popcornflower (Plagiobothrys calandrinioides); Strict Forget Me Not (Myosotis stricta) - introduced species

- Hydrophyllaceae: Phacelia (Phacelia secunda)

Lamiales - Mints (Lamiaceae): Savory (Satureja darwinii); Scullcup (Scutellaria nummulariifolia)

- Plantaginaceae: Alkali Plantain (Plantago maritima) and Plantain (Plantago barbata)

- Verbenaceae: Junellia odonellii

- Scrophulariaceae: Slipper Flower (Calceolaria uniflora)

Solanales - Solanaceae: Jaborosa magellanica

Dipsacales - Valerianaceae: Valerian (Valeriana carnosa)

Asterales - Asteraceae: Baccharis magellanica; Catsear (Hypochaeris incana); Chiliotrichum diffusum; Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) - introduced species; Common Dandelion - introduced species - and Dandelion (Taraxacum gilliesii); Everlasting (Gamochaeta spiciformis); Fleabanes (Erigeron myosotis and E. patagonicus); Lepidophyllum sp.; Leucheria eriocephala, L. hahnii and L. purpurea; Disc Mayweed (Matricaria discoidea) - introduced species; Mouse-ear-hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella) - introduced species; Nardophyllum bryoides; Nassauvia aculeata and N. darwinii; Perezia pilifera and P. recurvata; Pussytoes (Antennaria chilensis); Ragworts (Senecio alloeophyllus, S. kingii, S. magellanicus, S. miser and S. patagonicus); Sagebrush (Artemisia magellanica); Snakeweed (Gutierrezia baccharoides)

- Campanulaceae: Lobelia (Lobelia oligophylla)

- Calyceraceae: Boopis filifolia and B. patagonica

Monocotyledons:

Alismatales - Juncaginaceae:  Slender Arrowgrass (Triglochin concinna)

Liliales - Alstroemeriaceae: Lily of the Incas (Alstroemeria patagonica)

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Alkaligrass (Puccinellia magellanica); Barleys (Hordeum comosum, H. lechleri and H. patagonicum); Bentgrasses (Agrostis inconspicua and A. glabra); Bluegrasses (Poa alopecurus and P. spiciformis); Rescue Brome (Bromus catharticus) and Brome (Bromus setifolius); Fescues (Festuca gracillima, F. magellanica, F. pallescens and F. pyrogea); Foxtail (Alopecurus magellanicus); Rice Grass (Jarava chrysophylla, J. humilis and J. ibarii); Wallaby Grass (Rytidosperma virescens); Wood Hairgrass (Deschampsia flexuosa) and  Haigrass (Deschampsia antarctica and D. patula); Yellow Hairgrass (Aira praecox) - introduced species; Meadow-Grass (Poa pratensis) - introduced species; Annual Meadow-Grass (Poa annua) - introduced species); Flattened Meadow-Grass (Poa compressa) - introduced species; Wood Meadow-Grass (Poa nemoralis) - introduced species; Oatgrass (Trisetum cumingii); Narrowspike Reedgrass (Calamagrostis stricta); Sweetgrass (Hierochloe pusilla); Mountain Timothy (Phleum alpinum); Wildrye (Elymus magellanicus)

- Juncaceae: Arctic Rush (Juncus arcticus) and Rush (Juncus scheuchzerioides); Woodrushes (Luzula alopecurus and L. racemosa)

- Cyperaceae: California Bulrush (Schoenoplectus californicus); Nevada Bulrush (Amphiscirpus nevadensis); Birdcatching Sedge (Uncinia macrolepis); Sedges (Carex austroamericana, C. macrosolen, C. sorianoi and C. gayana); Spikerush (Eleocharis albibracteata)

Asparagales - Iridaceae: Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium patagonicum); Grasswidow (Olsynium biflorum)

Possible activities

Walking tourism - four short marked trails

Nature observation, sea kayak

Note

Landscape of extraordinary beauty.

Human crania from early prehistoric occupation have been recovered from this Pali Aike Crater site (roughly 11 000 years old).

Picture - source