Wildlife of Chile
The wildlife of Chile is very diverse because of the country's slender and elongated shape, which spans a wide range of latitude, and altitude, ranging from the windswept coastline of the Pacific coast on the west to northern Andes to the sub-Antarctic, high Andes mountains in the east. There are many distinct ecosystems.
Geography
From the wildlife angle, Chile in Southern South America stretches in a north–south direction, called the spine of South America, has terrestrial borders with
Climate
In northern Chile there is the harsh
Enabling laws
The first law addressing the capture and use of wild animals was contained in the Civil Code of 1888.
Laws regulating exploitation of wildlife are in force since 1888 which have been improved upon since the 1990s, with regulations of 1993 being the most recent and stringent. This has resulted in almost total check over hunting and commercialization of
While the laws have provided protection to reptiles and amphibians, animals with fur cover and game species of both birds and mammals are exploited to a reasonable level. However, cross border illegal traffic still persists and Chile acts as a conduit for illegal trafficking in animals from other South American countries and the law enforcement in this regard is lax.[4]
Protected areas
With respect to conservation of flora and fauna, the protected areas are identified in the country's 15 administrative regions, plus the Metropolitan area and the Metro de Santiago, which are listed in alphabetical order (each region's serial number—based on information sourced to
- Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo (XI)
- Antofagasta (II)
- Araucanía (IX)
- Arica y Parinacota (XV)
- Atacama (III)
- Bío Bío(VIII)
- Coquimbo (IV)
- Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins(VI)
- Los Lagos (X)
- Los Ríos (XIV)
- Santiago Metro
- Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena(XII)
- Maule (VII)
- Metropolitana (R.M.)
- Tarapacá (I)
- Valparaíso (V)
There are 100 protected areas in the above listed regions covering an area of 14.5 million hectares (20% of the country) in 36 national parks, 49 national reserves, and 15 national monuments. The national monuments account for 0.01% of the area.[5]
In terms of world statistics of area covered under protection, Chile has the second place in Latin America and seventh place in the world. However, the distribution of the protected area in the country is highly uneven with two of the 15 administrative regions garnering 84% of the protected area, and with the southern regions XI and XII having the major share of about 50% of the total area which adjoins the forest and protected areas of the Argentinian Andes of Patagonia. In the remaining regions, the protected area covered is only 4.4% of total area which is less than the accepted international norm of 5%. The protected areas are also governed by the "ice and rock" criterion adopted in the United States Wilderness System. Under this criterion, about 23% of the total area of SNASPE is covered by ice fields and other land types which have no vegetation and least habitation.[3] Apart from the 100 terrestrial protected areas which also partly include some marine areas, now 75 new critical bird areas of marine birdlife have been identified by BirdLife International. The Important Bird Areas (IBA) cover the "cliffs of Arica, the bays of Coquimbo, Mejillones, the mouths of Biobío and Maipu rivers, the Alejandro Selkirk islands, Choros, Damas, Punta de Choros, and Parque Nacional Cabo de Hornos."[6]
Flora
The country's flora is composed of 56 orders, 181 families, 837 genera, and about 4,295 species with large numbers in terms of genera and species from the families
Pristine floral sub-Antarctic forest vegetation (including deciduous
Fauna
Mammals
In view of its geographic setting with formidable High Andes mountain on its eastern border and the arid deserts of north, deterring movement from its neighbouring countries, the terrestrial mammals species in Chile are limited to 103, out of a total mammal species count of about 148. The land mammals are mostly
Native marine mammals include elephant seals and sea lions.[11] Blue whales (in the Gulf of Corcovado) (the largest mammal in the world), humpback, sei and sperm whales, sea otters, and dolphin species are also reported.
Birds
The national bird of Chile is the Andean condor[17] The total avifauna species in Chile as reported by BirdLife International, as of 2012, number 530, including 14 endemic species (two breeding in Chile), 37 globally threatened species, and 7 introduced species.[18] The globally endangered, endemic and introduced species are as follows:[18]
Critically endangered
- Podiceps gallardoi(hooded grebe)
- Phoebastria irrorata(waved albatross)
- Pterodroma magentae(magenta petrel)
- Pterodroma phaeopygia(Galapagos petrel)
- Numenius borealis(Eskimo curlew) may be extinct
Endangered
- Phoebetria fusca(sooty albatross)
- Pterodroma atrata(Henderson petrel)
- Pterodroma alba(Phoenix petrel)
- Nesofregetta fuliginosa(Polynesian storm-petrel)
- Pelecanoides garnotii(Peruvian diving-petrel)
- Poikilocarbo gaimardi(red-legged cormorant)
- Phalacrocorax bougainvillii(Magellan cormorant)
- Sternula lorata(Peruvian tern)
Near threatened
- Rhea pennata(lesser rhea)
- Speculanas specularis(spectacled duck)
- Phoenicopterus chilensis(Chilean flamingo)
- Phoenicoparrus jamesi(James's flamingo)
- Aptenodytes forsteri(emperor penguin)
- Pygoscelis adeliae(Adelie penguin)
- Pygoscelis papua(gentoo penguin)
- Spheniscus magellanicus(Magellanic penguin)
- Thalassarche bulleri(Buller's albatross)
- Phoebetria palpebrata(light-mantled albatross)
- Pterodroma ultima(Murphy's petrel)
- Pterodroma inexpectata(mottled petrel)
- Procellaria cinerea(gray petrel)
- Puffinus griseus(sooty shearwater)
- Pelecanus thagus(Peruvian pelican)
- Vultur gryphus(Andean condor)
- Buteo ventralis(rufous-tailed hawk)
- Fulica cornuta(horned coot)
- Phegornis mitchellii(diademed sandpiper-plover)
- Pluvianellus socialis(Magellanic plover)
- Calidris pusilla(semipalmated sandpiper)
- Tryngites subruficollis(buff-breasted sandpiper)
- Gallinago stricklandii(Fuegian snipe)
- Larosterna inca(Inca tern)
- Thalasseus elegans(elegant tern)
- Chaetura pelagica(chimney swift)
- Phalcoboenus australis(striated caracara)
- Falco deiroleucus(orange-breasted falcon)
- Aratinga erythrogenys(red-masked parakeet)
- Anairetes fernandezianus(Juan Fernandez tit-tyrant)
- Oreomanes fraseri(giant conebill)
- Xenospingus concolor(slender-billed finch)
Vulnerable
- Tachyeres leucocephalus(white-headed steamer-duck)
- Phoenicoparrus andinus(Andean flamingo)
- Spheniscus humboldti(Humboldt penguin)
- Eudyptes chrysolophus(macaroni penguin)
- Eudyptes schlegeli(royal penguin)
- Thalassarche chrysostoma(gray-headed albatross)
- Thalassarche salvini(Salvin's albatross)
- Thalassarche eremita(Chatham albatross)
- Pterodroma externa(Juan Fernandez petrel)
- Pterodroma cookii(Cook's petrel)
- Pterodroma defilippiana(Masatierra petrel)
- Procellaria aequinoctialis(white-chinned petrel)
- Procellaria parkinsoni(Parkinson's petrel)
- Procellaria westlandica(Westland petrel)
- Puffinus creatopus(pink-footed shearwater)
- Puffinus bulleri(Buller's shearwater)
- Rallus antarcticus(austral rail)
- Numenius phaeopusor N. p. hudsonicus (whimbrel or Hudsonian curlew)
- Agriornis albicauda(white-tailed shrike-tyrant)
- Progne murphyi(southern martin)
- Conirostrum tamarugense(tamarugo conebill)
Endemic
- Nothoprocta perdicaria(ornate tinamou)
- Pterodroma longirostris(Stejneger's petrel) breeding type (V)
- Eulidia yarrellii(Chilean woodstar) (EN)
- Enicognathus leptorhynchus(slender-billed parakeet)
- Pteroptochos castaneus(chestnut-throated huet-huet)
- Pteroptochos megapodius(moustached turca)
- Scelorchilus albicollis(white-throated tapaculo)
- Scytalopus fuscus(dusky tapaculo)
- Aphrastura masafuerae(Mas Afuera rayadito) (CR)
- Sephanoides fernandensis(Juan Fernandez firecrown) (CR)
- Mimus thenca(Chilean mockingbird)
Non-marine molluscs
A number of species of non-marine molluscs are found in the wild in Chile. Native Orthalicidae include 29 species of genus Bostryx and 12 species of genus Plectostylus.[19]
Marine molluscs
The marine molluscs of Chile number 1070 species, including
Threats
There are many reasons for the decline of fauna and flora in Chile. These generally relate to encroachment of land for agriculture and mining (widespread deforestation), hunting for felt, food and trade of animals, and attack by other animals and birds. It is reported that nearly 33% of the mammals species face threat of extinction.[2][14]
In the marine area, the threats posed are from industrial fishing (salmon farming and cultured mussels) and aquaculture particularly in the Gulf of Corcovado, intensive exploitation of marine resources, with large maritime traffic of trawls, associated fishing.[10]
Conservation
In this context of mammals species in Central Chile, a highly populated region, is of conservation concern. Even in the arid areas of northern Chile, the concern for conservation is essential. Chilean authorities, with international assistance, have made progress in addressing these problems but much remains to be done that will require continued international assistance if many unique forms are to be preserved.[21]
Conservation of wildlife is achieved through protected areas set up and managed by both the government organizations such as the SNAPPE and its implementation wing the CONAF, and also through private initiatives. Commercial exploitation is controlled by the
As part of conservation of its wildlife, Chile is signatory (but not ratified) to the international agreements, protocols, conventions and laws such as the
Gallery
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Araucaria araucana trees in Conguillío National Park
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Pudú in Chile
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Chilla fox, common in the region
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Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), the national bird of Chile
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Lycalopex culpaeus, a culpeo or Andean fox
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A guanaco in northern Chile
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Torres del Paine from Lake Pehoé, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
See also
References
- ^ a b c Gordon 2009, p. 71.
- ^ a b c d "The World Factbook:Chile". Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ a b Pauchard, Villarroel (2002). "Protected Areas in Chile:History, Current Status, and Challenge: Journal22(4)" (PDF). Natural Areas Journal: School of Forestry University of Montana. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ ISSN 0006-3207.
- ^ a b "Parks, Reserves, and Other Protected Areas in Chile". Portal about Parks in the World. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "In Chile 75 new critical marine bird conservation sites named". Thisischile.cl. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ Moreira-Muñoz 2011, p. 46.
- ^ "Rock-strewn wilderness". BBC Travel News. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Plant and Animal Life". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Southern Chile". World Wild Life Organization. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Bernardo O'Higgins National Park". Official website of Bernardo O'Higgins National Park. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ "Lapageria rosea". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "Rare and exotic plants & seeds". Strange Wonderful Things.com. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ a b c Chester 2010, p. 291.
- ^ Conover 2010, p. 144.
- ^ "Patagonia Wildlife Photos". National Geographic. Archived from the original on January 10, 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ "Birds of Chile, Checklist of the Birds of Chile; The Chilean Birdlist: Pájaros / Aves De Chile". Birdlist Organization. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World, Chile". Avi Base Eco organization. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ "Chilean Orthalicidae" (PDF). Ashbreure. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "Moluscos marinos de Chile". Moluscoschilenos. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ .
Bibliography
- Chester, Sharon (19 April 2010). A Wildlife Guide to Chile: Continental Chile, Chilean Antarctica, Easter Island, Juan Fernandez Archipelago. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-1-4008-3150-0.
- Conover, Michael R. (12 December 2010). Resolving Human-Wildlife Conflicts: The Science of Wildlife Damage Management. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-56670-538-7.
- Gordon, Iain J. (13 January 2009). The Vicuna: The Theory and Practice of Community Based Wildlife Management. Springer. ISBN 978-0-387-09476-2.
- Moreira-Muñoz, Andrés (19 January 2011). Plant Geography of Chile. Springer. ISBN 978-90-481-8748-5.