In a country that is home to landscapes with more similarities to Mars than Earth, Chilean wildlife thrives on the diverse biomes. Flamingos, vicuñas, guanacos, foxes, rodents, and reptiles have impressively adapted to everything Mother Nature has thrown their way in a country that has wildly diverse ecosystems. Below are just a few of our favorite Chilean animals to spot while out exploring.
Andean Mountains
Two types of huemul can be found in the Andes mountains that span Chile. Huemul appear similar to a mid-sized deer with rich brown coats and slender legs. The north Andean huemul can be found in northeastern Chile and they enjoy living at high altitudes. South Andean or Chilean huemul are endangered and many people look for them in the famous Torres del Paine National Park where experts estimate that only about 100 of them roam inside the park’s borders. The famous Andean condor can also be found throughout the Andes as they follow the Pacific coastline. These gigantic birds can weigh over 30 pounds and thus tend to prefer windy areas so that they can use strong air currents to help keep their bodies aloft as they glide.
Atacama Desert
If you are an avid bird watcher, you must make the trip to the Atacama desert in northern Chile to see a variety of incredible flamingos. Three different types of flamingos can be found in the Los Flamencos National Reserve: Chilean, James’, and Andean. Chilean flamingos are the tallest of the three species ranging from about 3½ to 4¼ feet tall. James’, or puna flamingos as they are sometimes called, are the smallest, and Andean flamingos are some of the most rare flamingos in the world.
Coastline
Blue whales make an appearance off the coastline of Chiloe Island between January and March each year. These massive mammals are awe inspiring and play an important role in the ecosystem. Penguin colonies can be found in Punihuil and in several areas near Punta Arenas. The most commonly spotted penguin species include Humboldt, Magellanic, King and Gentoo. Macaroni penguins have also been found in Chile, but they tend to be slightly more elusive than the other species.
The biodiversity of Chile is nothing short of spectacular. If you find this small snapshot of the variety of animals that roam Chile as captivating as we do, we’ll expect to see you in the mountains, desert, and coastlines of Chile soon!
