Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park

 

Localization

South Chile, Lake District, 82 km northeast of Puerto Montt

Access

Easy

Characteristic

2 530 km²; Mountainous region in the main Andes mountain chain. The park protects the body of Todos los Santos Lake. The outlet of the lake gives rise to the Petrohué River. A short distance downstream, still within the limits of the Park, the Petrohué river flows through the Petrohue Waterfalls. The Park also contains the eastern slope of Volcan Osorno. The maximum altitude of the park is 3491 meters. Typical ecosystems: temperate zone forest (Valdivian rain forest), lakes and rivers, alpine and volcanic biotopes.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

About 30 mammal species

Marsupials - Shrew Opossums (Caenolestidae): Chilean Shrew Opossum

- Microbiothers (Microbiotheriidae): Monito Del Monte

Bats - True Bats (Vespertilionidae): Small Big-eared Brown Bat; Eastern Red Bat; Chilean Myotis

Lagomorphs - Rabbits and Hears (Leporidae): Cape Hare - introduced species; European Rabbit - introduced species

Rodents - Mice (Muridae): Chilean Climbing Mouse; Long-haired Grass Mouse; Olive Grass Mouse; Sanborn´s Grass Mouse; Long-clawed Mole Mouse; Muskrat - introduced species; Phyllotis darwinii and Ph. micropus;  Long-tailed Pygmy Rice Rat

- Chinchillas and Viscachas (Chinchillidae): Wolffsohn´s Viscacha

- Beavers (Castoridae): American Beaver - introduced species

Carnivores - Weasels, Otters, Badgers (Mustelidae): Lesser Grison; American Mink - introduced species; Southern River Otter

- Skunks (Mephitidae): Molina´s Hog-nosed Skunk

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

- Cats (Felidae): Kodkod; Puma

Even-toed Ungulates - Pigs (Suidae): Wild Boar - introduced species

- Deers (Cervidae): Red Deer - introduced species; Huemal; Southern Pudu

Birds:

About 80 bird species

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): Great Grebe; Pied-billed Grebe; White-tufted Grebe

Pelecaniformes - Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Neotropic Cormorant

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Cattle Egret; Great White Egret; Cocoi Heron; Black-crowned Night-Heron

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

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Spectacled Duck; Torrent Duck; Ruddy-headed Goose; Upland Goose; Yellow-billed Pintail; Flying Steamerduck; Black-necked Swan; Coscoroba Swan; Speckled Teal; Chiloe Wigeon

Birds of Prey - American Vultures (Cathartidae): Andean Condor; American Black Vulture; Turkey Vulture

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle; Harris´ Hawk; Bicolored Hawk; Red-backed Hawk; White-tailed Kite

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

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): White-winged Coot; Austral Rail; Plumbeous Rail

Charadriiformes - Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Baird's Sandpiper

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Southern Lapwing

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Chilean Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Austral Parakeet

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Short-eared Owl; Austral Pygmy Owl

- Barn and Grass Owls (Tytonidae):  Barn Owl

Goatsuckers - Nightjars (Caprimulgidae): Band-winged Nightjar

Apodiformes - Hummingbirds (Trochilidae): Green-backed Firecrown

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): Ringed Kingfisher

Piciformes - Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Chilean Flicker; Magellanic Woodpecker; Striped Woodpecker

Perching Birds - Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Dark-bellied Cinclodes; Scale-throated Earthcreeper; Thorn-tail Rayadito; Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail; White-throated Treerunner; Des Murs' Wiretail

- Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): Black-throated Huet-huet; Andean Tapaculo; Chucao Tapaculo

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Fire-eyed Diucon; White-crested Elaenia; Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant; Rufous-backed Negrito; Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant; Chat Tyrant; Tufted Tit-Tyrant

- Plantcutters (Phytotomidae): Rufous-tailed Plantcutter

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Bank Swallow; Blue-and-white Swallow; Chilean Swallow

- Thrushes and Chats (Turdidae): Austral Thrush

- Wrens (Troglodytidae): House Wren

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

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Common Diuca-Finch; Patagonian Sierra-Finch; Rufous-collared Sparrow

- Finches (Fringillidae):  Black-chinned Siskin

Reptiles:

Lizards and Snakes - Neotropical Ground Lizzards ( Tropiduridae): Iguana (Liolaemus pictus)

Amphibians:

30 amphibian species

Frogs - Cycloramphidae: Alsodes coppingeri - probably extinct; Darwin´s frog (Rhinoderma darwinii)

Fish:

Osmeriformes - Galaxiids (Galaxiidae): Aplochiton taeniatus

Catfish - Airbreathing or Labyrinth Catfishes (Clariidae):

- Pencil or Parasitic Catfishes (Trichomycteridae):  Trichomycterus areolatus

Atheriniformes - Atherinopsidae: Basilichthys australis

Perch-likes - Temperate Basses (Percichthyidae): Percichthys trucha

Insects:

Beetles - Stag Beetles (Lucanidae):  Darwin´s Beetle (Chiasognathus granti)

- Oxypeltidae: Cheloderus childreni 

 

Plants:

Lycophytes:

Lycopodiales - Lycopodiaceae: Clubmoss (Lycopodium paniculatum)

Ferns:

Cyatheales - Dicksoniaceae: Diamondleaf Fern (Lophosoria quadripinnata)

Polypodiales - Blechnaceae: Midsorus Ferns (Blechnum arcuatum, B. blechnoides, B. hastatum, B. magellanicum and B. penna-marina)

Salviniales - watermosses (Salviniaceae): Fern Azola (Azolla filiculoides)

Hymenophyllales - Hymenophyllaceae: Hymenoglossum cruentum

Gleicheniales - Gleicheniaceae: Gleichenia squamulosa

Horsetails:

Equisetales - Equisetaceae: Horsetail (Equisetum bogotense)

Conifers:

Cupressales - Cupressaceae: Patagonia Cypress (Fitzroya cupressoides); Pilgerodendron uviferum

Podocarpales - Podocarpaceae: Plum Pine (Podocarpus nubigena); Prince Albert´s Yew (Saxegothaea conspicua)

Dicotyledons:

Laurales - Atherospermataceae: Laurelia sempervirens

- Monimiaceae: Laurelopsis philippiana

Canellales - Winteraceae: Winter´s Bark (Drimys winteri)

Ranunculales - Berberidaceae: Darwin´s Berberis (Berberis darwinii) and Barberries (Berberis buxifolia, B. linearifolia, B. montana, B. percei and B. trigona)

- Lardizabalaceae: Boquila trifoliata

Berberidopsidales - Aextoxicaceae: Aextoxicon punctatum

Gunnerales - Gunneraceae: Chilean Gunnera (Gunnera tinctoria)

Santalales - Santalaceae: Quinchamalium andinum

- Lorantahaceae: Tristerix corymbosa 

Malvales - Thymelaeaceae: Ovidia pillopillo

Rosales - Rosaceae: Apple (Malus comunis) - introduced species; Sweetbriar Rose (Rosa eglanteria) - introduced species; Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis)

Oxalidales - Cunoniaceae: Caldcluvia paniculata; Tineo (Weinmannia trichosperma) - common tree

- Elaeocarpaceae: Aristotelia chilensis

- Eucryphiaceae: Ulmo (Eucryphia cordifolia) - common tree

Vitales - Vitidaceae: Treebine (Cissus striata)

Fabales - Fabaceae: Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum) - introduced species

Fagales - Nothofagaceae: Coihue (Nothofagus dombeyi) - the most common tree, Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) and Southern Beeches (Nothofagus antarctica and N. betuloides)

- Juglandaceae: Common Walnut (Juglans regia) - introduced species

Proteales - Proteaceae:  Chilean Firebush (Embothrium coccineum); Gevuina avellana; Lomatia hirsuta, L. ferruginea and L. hirsuta

Malpighiales - Willows (Salicaceae): Azara lanceolata; Black Cottonwood (Populus nigra) - introduced species

Myrtales - Myrtaceae: Amomyrtus luma and A. meli; Chilean Guava (Ugni molinae); Myrceugenia chrysocarpa, M. exsucca and M. planipes; Myrteola nummularia; Shortleaf Stopper (Eugenia apiculata); Tepualia stipularis

- Onagraceae: Hardy Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica)

Cornales - Hydrangeaceae: Hydrangea (Hydrangea serratifolia)

- Loasaceae: Loasa sp.

Ericales - Ericaceae: Pernettya furiens, P. poeppigii and P. pumilia; Snowberries (Gaultheria antarctica and G. phyllyreifolia)

Gentianales - Rubiaceae: Makole (Nertera granadensis)

- Apocynaceae: Elytropus chilensis

Boraginales - Desfontainiaceae: Taique (Desfontainia spinosa)

Lamiales - Plantaginaceae: Buckhorn Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) - introduced species and Plantain (Plantago barbata)

- Bignoniaceae: Campsidium valdivianum

- Lentibulariaceae: Butterwort (Pinguicula antartica)

- Gesneriaceae: Asteranthera ovata; Mitraria coccinea; Sarmienta repens

- Scrophulariaceae: Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) - introduced species

- Buddlejaceae: Orange-ball-tree (Buddleja globosa)

Cucurbitales - Coriariaceae: Coriaria ruscifolia

Asterales - Asteraceae: Dasyphyllum diacanthoides

Monocotyledons:

Liliales - Luzuriagaceae: Luzuriaga radicans 

- Philesiaceae: Philesia magellanica

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Argentinian Mounatin Bamboo (Chusquea montana); Pampas Grass (Cortaderia araucana); Argentinian Quila (Chusquea quila)

- Cyperaceae: California Bulrush (Schoenoplectus californicus); Birdcatching Sedge (Uncinia phleoides)

- Bromeliaceae: Fascicularia bicolor

 

Possible activities

Many hiking trails of various lenght and difficulty

Fishing, swimming, sea kayak, white water kayak, rafting, skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering, horseback riding, mountain bikes

Note

Accessible all year round

Picture - source wikipedia