By Teddy Charlton of Westminster College
Last week, our Round River cohort spent a total of seven nights and eight days in Valle Chacabuco which is part of Patagonia National Park (PNP). The landscape is incredibly beautiful and unlike anything that I have ever seen before. Although our week was packed with four full days of research, there was also some time for us to sit back and enjoy this new landscape. Something that I like to do while in a new area is hike to the highest area around and gain a view point of what surrounds me. During the week of research we were mostly stuck down in the bottom of the valley because we would start at the road, which is essentially the lowest part of the valley, and go by foot to the north and south. Luckily, near the eastern side of the valley it starts to get much narrower and steeper. On our third day of research, Cisco and myself were assigned to the transect “17 south”, which is the second most eastern transect. After a few hundred meters of walking through the bottom of the valley, it begins to gain elevation rapidly. Before we knew it we had reached the snow line and had an incredible view of the valley floor below us and the numerous peaks across from us. From this viewpoint you can really begin to make inferences about the geologic history of the valley regarding its glaciation and how it was carved in the first place.
Another way that we became acquainted with this new landscape was by learning many of the common and scientific names of the local flora and fauna. This was done by being observant of the area at all times of the day and utilizing the plant and bird guides that we have around camp at all times. Knowing that the end of our week would culminate in a species quiz in which we would be asked about either common or scientific names of 20 different bird and plant species, I was far more concerned with what was around me than ever before. Although the plants are fun and interesting, I have continually found myself much more interested in all of the different types of birds that get to call this place home. One very prominent type of bird that exists down here is the Andean condor which is one of the largest birds in the world standing at about one and a half meters tall with a wingspan of over three meters (10 feet!). Another bird that you are likely to see around this area is the American kestrel. The kestrel is a smaller bird of prey that uses a hovering technique while hunting its prey. After carefully watching many Kestrels as they flew, I finally witnessed one hover and dive and it was very interesting. Birding is something that I hope to continue not only through the entirety of my time in Patagonia but also long after with birds in all parts of the world.
For our last full day in Valle Chacabuco we drove east on the road through the valley almost to the Argentinian border. Down at this end of the park is a ñandu (Rhea pennata) nursery. A ñandu is a large ostrich like bird that is native to this area.
Unfortunately, due to many factors, their population in the Aysén Region is dwindling and has reached a dangerously low level. The purpose of the nursery is to safely raise these birds and then release them in to the wild and help revamp the local population. Up until this point, the nursery has successfully raised and released 84 ñandu with a goal of reaching 100. Our week was then wrapped up with a discussion as we looked down upon the confluence of Rio Chacabuco and Rio Baker. We talked about the research we conducted, our role here in PNP, and the interesting dynamics between the park and the local community. Overall, the experience including all of the discussions and interactions with the local people made me feel positive about the future of this land and the future of conservation in Patagonia.
