By Brendan Deppen from Bowdoin College
Group Hued Hued spent October 4th through October 13th camping and working in the Chacabuco Valley of Patagonia National Park. This block of 10 days presented many hurdles and challenges, but will be looked back on as nothing short of incredible. Gus remained with group two for a few days, and Hannah had just come down with covid, forcing her to stay behind. After arriving, we spent day two and three volunteering. Day four was a free day, and the fifth we spent gathering data on a reforestation project. Lastly, days six through nine were dedicated to guanaco surveys, the main purpose of the trip. Gus finally rejoined our group on day five, but unfortunately Hannah was staying back at basecamp. I am writing this blog from my hammock in base camp. We have been given this time to unwind before preparing for our next adventure. To me, this means relaxing in the sun and swinging rhythmically. If I look up I can see the snow capped Tamango sitting directly across the crystal clear Cochran river.
Our first two volunteering days were long and taxing. The work required us to travel almost two hours in each direction to reach the western portion of the valley. There, we were introduced to a new friend Fran, and given instructions on what we would do. Fran worked with an organization named Rewilding and our job was to help her deconstruct Nandu enclosures. Nandus are a kind of bird that inhabit the western portion of the valley. Using various tools, we were slowly able to turn the existing fences anchored deep into the ground into rolled coils of wire and fence posts that could be used in future work.
The second day of volunteering produced my most exciting moment of the trip, hands down. Caroline and I went for a morning run from camp, leaving well before sunrise. We’ve found this to be a great way to exercise while also exploring our surrounding area. As we were rounding a bend in the gravel road just before 6:15, we found ourselves just 15 or so meters from a puma! We stopped and stood in silence as it slowly passed us. It was well aware of us but rather unbothered by our presence. While we were of similar size to it, we were completely helpless in comparison to this wild animal, it was truly a jaw dropping and humbling experience. Thankfully, it sticks to guanacos as its main source of food.
Next came our free day. Kian, Elena, and Izzy decided to relax at camp and work on their Grinnel Journals, an in-depth account of one of our volunteer days required from all of us at the end of the trip. Meanwhile, Caroline, Daniel, Jackson, and I put off our work and tried to summit Tamanguito. This peak could be seen towering over 1,000 meters above our campground. The hike was grueling and winds howled past us at over 100 km/h as we postholed above tree line towards the summit. We made the wise decision to turn around just short, but this did not stop us from taking in breathtaking views from all directions.
The following day was spent gathering data at a reforestation site also run by Rewilding. Izzy was in charge of this project, splitting us into pairs and directing us on what to do. Throughout the day we visited over 100 clusters of Nirre trees, each cluster contained forty or so individual sprouts. We recorded height data and varying other pieces of information that could provide insight into the mortality rates of these trees. Izzy is now in the process of compiling and analyzing this data in preparation for her final project.
The last four days of our trip meant that we were reunited with group 2, and our guanaco surveys were to begin. Each day, we were paired with a member of the other group and assigned a transect for the day. We were then dropped off throughout the valley, armed with compasses and GPS. We would either travel directly north or south, depending on the transect, for 3 hours before turning around. During this time all groups received breathtaking views, and lots and lots of guanacos. The total number at the end of the trip surpassed 400. Ask anyone and they will say it was the best part of the trip. This time allowed us to spend quality time with new group members, encounter the incredible animals up close, and truly experience the magic of the valley. We then spent our evenings sharing our stories from the day, playing pelt, and other fun games such as box of secrets.
Determining a rough estimate for the population of guanacos is key for the conservation of the valley. Guanacos are an endangered species whose range throughout Chile has shrunk to just 20% of what it once was. Chacabuco valley represents one of the last areas where guanacos still roam with relative abundance. By traveling to the valley each semester, Round River is able to not only measure the current number of guanacos, but also gather an understanding of trends of the species population. Additionally, the guanaco population has the ability to directly and indirectly affect all parts of the valley. Puma numbers are completely reliant on the abundance of their food source. Guanacos themselves are herbivores, so vegetation species are also sure to take a hit. Changes in guanaco numbers are sure to have cascading impacts throughout the ecosystem. Viewing our work through this framework makes it feel incredibly important.
Overall, our trip to Chacabuco valley was a great success. While down time here in Cochrane is needed, I also look forward to returning to the field in Jeinimeni to continue our work, this time studying the magellanic woodpecker.