Three hundred thousand hectares of land at the world's end are home to alpine meadows, peat bogs (wet spongy ground of decomposing vegetation), numerous river valleys, ancient forests, and incredibly diverse wildlife. Karukinka Park, located on the Isla Grande of Tierra del Fuego in Chile, showcases precious elements that make our world sublime.
Situated at the southern tip of the globe, Fuegian culpeo foxes (Lycalopex culpaeus lycoides) meet (but probably don’t greet) Andean condors (Vultur gryphus). Ringed kingfishers (Megaceryle torquata) compete with Magellanic woodpeckers (Campephilus magellanicus) for the title of "Most Attractive Bird in the Patagonian Region," while elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) molt and rest in Jackson Bay, seemingly oblivious to their own adorableness.
This territory, referred to as Karukinka by the indigenous tribes who first inhabited the area (the Selk'nam or Onas), has significantly wet weather. Consequently, it provides a habitat for abundant fungi, flora, and fauna. This land is also home to trees as ancient and as tall as cathedrals, crowned with emerald-green foliage that blankets over half of the territory.
These magnificent natural structures include Southern, Antarctic, and Evergreen Beech trees—all members of the Nothofagus family—coexisting harmoniously under the watchful gaze of remarkable birds like the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), the Black-chested Buzzard Eagle (Geranoetus melanoleucus) and the Black-Browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris), which has been designated as a near-threatened species by the IUCN.
This breathtaking landscape is one of the most ideal environments for biodiversity to flourish. Karukinka is one of the last remaining pure subantarctic ecosystems on the planet. And that, without a doubt, is something worth preserving, don't you think?
A conservation program preserves the integrity of Karukinka Park
As you may already know, not all valuable things can be easily safeguarded. The park encompasses an immense area, equivalent to four times the size of Gran Santiago, and houses countless species in need of protection. Since 2004, a program implemented by WCS Chile (Wildlife Conservation Society) has been dedicated to precisely that goal.
The organization strives to achieve effective conservation by undertaking the following tasks to preserve and nurture this remarkable place:
- Ecosystem conservation and restoration.
- Prevention of direct threats to terrestrial and aquatic wildlife.
- Control of exotic species.
- Research and monitoring.
- Promotion of ecosystem conservation beyond Karukinka.
- Development of sustainable economic policies that involve collaborative efforts with the local community of Magallanes and surrounding areas.
Undoubtedly, they require all the support they can get. This is why the organization behind Parque Karukinka is now our newest steward. You can find it by searching for it on our app (if you haven't already downloaded it, please do so! It's free). Furthermore, you can explore its location on our atlas to precisely identify the ecosystem you will soon be helping protect.
Together we can make a positive impact. Get to know WCS Chile and Karukinka Park through Lemu app, and help them preserve this irreplaceable habitat.
