Nahuel Huapi National Park
Encyclopedia
Established in 1934, the Nahuel Huapi National Park is the oldest national park
in Argentina
. It surrounds Nahuel Huapi Lake
in the foothills of the Patagonia
n Andes
. The largest of the national parks in the region, it has an area of 7050 square kilometre, or nearly 2 million acres. Its landscapes represent the north Patagonian Andean Zone consisting of three types, namely, the Altoandino (with perpetual snow above an altitude of 1600 metres (5,249.3 ft)), the Andino-Patagónico (in the lower reaches of the hills) and the Patagonian steppe
.
The park and the reserve lie at an altitude of 720–3574 m (2,362.2–11,725.7 ), and are designated under IUCN management categories II (National Park) and IV (Management Reserve). The park is completely protected while the reserve is partially protected. The national park is dominated by the high mountain chain of the Andes, many lakes, rapid rivers, waterfalls, snow-clad peaks, glaciers and extensive forests. It is bordered by Chile
on its western side.
, namely, the "Ciudad de Los Cesares" and the early Jesuit settlers.
In 1903, Perito Moreno
donated 75 square kilometre of land in the area to the federal government. A decree of February 1, 1909 recognized that the area needed protection but it was not until October 9, 1934 that both Nahuel Huapi National Park and Iguazu National Park
were established. In the first year of the National Park Service, 1935, several regulations were implemented that affected Nahuel Huapi. These included construction code, sport fishing, standardization of drinking water sanitation, and issuance of vendor permits. The area opened up for mountain climbing and other recreational activities after the park was established.
and northwest section of the Río Negro
provinces, bordering with Chile. The park has two zones: the park and the natural reserve with development concentrated in the reserve. The largest city and a base for tourism
is San Carlos de Bariloche
, which is surrounded by the park. San Carlos de Bariloche is the main hub when visiting the lake, and is known as the "Gateway to Patagonia", the "Chocolate Capital" and the "Honeymoon Capital" of Argentina. However, the city and other settlements are zoned outside the limits of the park. A further subzoning into the north, south and southern zones has been implemented with an exclusive recreational area named the Cerro Cathedral. Villa La Angostura
is another lakeside resort also within the boundaries of the park.
The area is known as the Argentine Lake District, as there are many lakes in the park, including Nahuel Huapi, Mascardi
, Gutiérrez
, Traful
, Guillelmo, and Perito Moreno Lakes. Cerro Catedral
is a 2388 metres (7,834.6 ft) high peak within the park and an important ski resort. Cerro Tronador
, on the Chilean border, is the highest mountain in the park at 3491 metres (11,453.4 ft). Bordering the park to the north is the Lanín National Park
.
Geology
Geological formations in the park and the reserve are generally tertiary rocks of volcanic origin coupled with andacites and porphyrys
. The cliffs of the San Pedro Peninsula depict eroded glacial features and the lakes also show many glacial effects.
Climate
The park has widely varying climatic conditions with the annual precipitation
ranging between 300 millimetre. It rains more towards the Chilean border.
. The lake has many islands. The Forest Research station is located on one of them, Victoria Island, which is a natural reserve approachable by boats. Huemul Island
hosted the Huemul Project
, the Argentinean secret research project on nuclear fusion
in 1949–1952.
is located on the southern shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi. The town was established in 1902. However, its importance as tourist hub grew after the 1930s when the national park surrounding it was established. It is well known as the "Honeymoon Capital of Argentina", apart from its fame for its chocolate manufacturing industry. Its 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) stretch below the Andes mountains is bounded on the south by Lago Mascardi and on the north by the Villa Traful. North of the city the Seven Lakes road provides scenic vistas of landscapes. Glaciers and waterfalls, which are near to the Pampa Lenda, are located to the west of Bariloche. It is also the base for mountaineering trips to 3554 metres (11,660.1 ft) high Mount Tronador (also known as the Thunderer as ice falling produces such sounds) of extinct volcanic origin. The town is well-connected by air, rail and road transport; the airport is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the east of the town; and the train and bus stations are 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the east. The Cerro Catedral mountain peak is the snow sports center, with many skiing runs, which is 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) from Bariloche.
s, attributed to the varied altitude and precipitation
range.
Flora
Xerophytic Patagonian flora is dominant in the eastern half of the park while the western half is covered profusely with temperate rain forests. The dominant tree species in the park are the lenga
s, coihue, and the ñires. Other varieties of trees seen in the park are the Chilean cedar (Austrocedrus
chilensis), Winter’s bark (Drimys winteri
), Myrceugenella apiculata, Lomatia ferruginea
, Lomatia hirsuta
, Alstroemeria aurantica, Fuchsia megellanica, bamboo Chusquea culcou, Mitraria cocinea and Embothrium coccineum
. The alerce
or Patagonian cypress
is a slow-growing conifer
which is also present. Other flora include arrayanes
, coihue
s, fern
s, the caña colihue reeds
, amancay
es and arvejillas. The llao llao fungus has irregular growth patterns on the trees and is a symbol of the area; it is also the name of the Llao Llao Hotel
, a famous resort. The Valdivian rain forests is well forested with fine arrayan
trees with crumbling bark. In the high rain fall zones close to the Chilean border there is profusion of 450 years old coihue trees (small leaved evergreen beeches). alerce
South American Spanish name) of 1500 year vintage are seen spread throughout the park. Bamboo cane grows in abundance.
Fauna
Animals include river otters (Lontra longicaudis), southern Andean huemul
s (Hippocamelus bisulcus), pudu
s (small deer), foxes, cougars
, guanacos and mara
s. Huillin
(Lontra provocax), an endangered native otter, has been reported in the park. Avifauna reported include Magellanic Woodpecker
s, green Austral Parakeet
s, geese, ducks, swans
, blue-eyed cormorant
s, Andean condor
s (Vultur gryphus) and Green-backed Firecrown
s (Saphonoides sephaniodes). Amphibian fauna reported are Hylorina sylvatica and Bufo spinolosus. Five genera and 32 species of Simuliidae (black fly
) have been recorded. These genera are Cnesia, Cnesiamima, Gigantodax, Paraustrasimulium, and Simulium (Pternaspatha), a subgenus of Simulium with 19 species; these account for 57% of the Simuliidae fauna found in Argentina.
Nahuelito
is a lake monster named after the Nahuel Huapi Lake as its sighting in the lake is reported widely. Whether it is a fact or fiction, its sighting has been reported by local people and tourists with widely varying descriptions mentioning a “giant water snake with humps and fish-like fins to a swan with a snake's head, the overturned hull of a boat, and the stump of a tree”. Its length is also reported in the range of 15 –. Reported widely since the 1920s, predating Nessie
and the book titled The Lost World (Arthur Conan Doyle)
, Nahuelito is described as “an Argentinean media star.”
The park offers many avenues for recreation. Particular places of interest in this context are the Tronador, Puerto Blest, Victoria Island and the road to the 7 Lakes. Other options for recreation are available at the Cerro Catedral, Lopez and Punta Negra. Most of the recreation facility revolves around trekking of high mountain and steep hills apart from rafting, skiing in Cerro Catedral, kayaking in Pura Vida, mountain biking, rock-climbing, kit surfing, canopy, paragliding, golf at Llao Llao, trekking on a number of routes, ferry services from Puerto Rias.
Some of the well-developed routes for mountaineering are: The climb to the Thunderer volcano, which has several trails that reach up to the large glaciers; trails to the Tronador (an extinct volcano); the trails that link the San Martin shelter and Manfredo Segre (Black Lagoon); treks to San Martín and Manfredo Segre (Laguna Negra); to Lopez and to the viewpoint of the Stone of Habsburg, the walk of Paso de las Nubes Puerto Frías linking to Pampa Linda; to the valley and the ridge of Mount Rucaco Black Gap; and to Frey and San Martín (Jakoh lagoon), which passes by the edge of Cerro Catedral.
The trekking routes have accommodation facilities at several locations and the treks depend on fitness and the distance varies from a minimum of 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to a maximum of 45 kilometres (28 mi) involving 1-2-3 and more than 4 days of trekking. The treks are graded under four categories depending on the terrain and the difficulty of climbing rugged hills of heights varying from 200 to 3000 m (656.2 to 9,842.5 ).
National Parks of Argentina
The National Parks of Argentina make up a network of 30 national parks in Argentina. The parks cover a very varied set of terrains and biotopes, from Baritú National Park on the northern border with Bolivia to Tierra del Fuego National Park in the far south of the continent .The creation of the...
in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It surrounds Nahuel Huapi Lake
Nahuel Huapi Lake
Nahuel Huapi Lake is a lake in the lake region of northern Patagonia between the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén, in Argentina. The lake depression consists of several glacial valleys carved out along faults and Miocene valleys that were later dammed by moraines.Nahuel Huapi lake, located...
in the foothills of the Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
n Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
. The largest of the national parks in the region, it has an area of 7050 square kilometre, or nearly 2 million acres. Its landscapes represent the north Patagonian Andean Zone consisting of three types, namely, the Altoandino (with perpetual snow above an altitude of 1600 metres (5,249.3 ft)), the Andino-Patagónico (in the lower reaches of the hills) and the Patagonian steppe
Patagonian Desert
The Patagonian Desert, also known as the Patagonia Desert or the Patagonian Steppe, is the largest desert in Argentina and is the 7th largest desert in the world by area, occupying 673,000 square kilometers...
.
The park and the reserve lie at an altitude of 720–3574 m (2,362.2–11,725.7 ), and are designated under IUCN management categories II (National Park) and IV (Management Reserve). The park is completely protected while the reserve is partially protected. The national park is dominated by the high mountain chain of the Andes, many lakes, rapid rivers, waterfalls, snow-clad peaks, glaciers and extensive forests. It is bordered by Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
on its western side.
Etymology
The park derives its name from the lake which it surrounds, namely the "Nahuel Huapi". In the Mapuche language, nahuel means "jaguar" and huapi means "island".History
The earliest discovery of Nahuel Huapi by the non-indigenous peoples is linked to the historical legend of South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, namely, the "Ciudad de Los Cesares" and the early Jesuit settlers.
In 1903, Perito Moreno
Francisco Moreno
Francisco Pascacio Moreno was a prominent explorer and academic in Argentina, where he is usually referred to as Perito Moreno...
donated 75 square kilometre of land in the area to the federal government. A decree of February 1, 1909 recognized that the area needed protection but it was not until October 9, 1934 that both Nahuel Huapi National Park and Iguazu National Park
Iguazú National Park
The Iguazú National Park is a national park of Argentina, located in the Iguazú Department, in the north of the province of Misiones, Argentine Mesopotamia. It has an area of . -History:...
were established. In the first year of the National Park Service, 1935, several regulations were implemented that affected Nahuel Huapi. These included construction code, sport fishing, standardization of drinking water sanitation, and issuance of vendor permits. The area opened up for mountain climbing and other recreational activities after the park was established.
Geography
The park covers approximately 7050 square kilometre. It is located in the southwest section of the NeuquénNeuquén Province
Neuquén is a province of Argentina, located in the west of the country, at the northern end of Patagonia. It borders Mendoza Province to the north, Rio Negro Province to the southeast, and Chile to the west...
and northwest section of the Río Negro
Río Negro Province
Río Negro is a province of Argentina, located at the northern edge of Patagonia. Neighboring provinces are from the south clockwise Chubut, Neuquén, Mendoza, La Pampa and Buenos Aires. To the east lies the Atlantic Ocean.Its capital is Viedma...
provinces, bordering with Chile. The park has two zones: the park and the natural reserve with development concentrated in the reserve. The largest city and a base for tourism
Tourism in Argentina
Tourism in Argentina is favored by its ample and varied natural assets and by its cultural offerings. The country is lucky to have everything a tourist would ask for...
is San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche, is a city in the , situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake and is located inside Nahuel Huapi National Park...
, which is surrounded by the park. San Carlos de Bariloche is the main hub when visiting the lake, and is known as the "Gateway to Patagonia", the "Chocolate Capital" and the "Honeymoon Capital" of Argentina. However, the city and other settlements are zoned outside the limits of the park. A further subzoning into the north, south and southern zones has been implemented with an exclusive recreational area named the Cerro Cathedral. Villa La Angostura
Villa La Angostura
Villa La Angostura is a village in the south of the Argentine province of Neuquén, on the northwest shore of the Nahuel Huapi Lake.-Geography and climate:...
is another lakeside resort also within the boundaries of the park.
The area is known as the Argentine Lake District, as there are many lakes in the park, including Nahuel Huapi, Mascardi
Mascardi Lake
Mascardi Lake is a lake in the lake region of northern Patagonia in Río Negro Province in Argentina. The lake depression consists of several glacial valleys carved out along faults and Miocene valleys that were later dammed by moraines. The lake is named after Nicolás Mascardi a 17th century...
, Gutiérrez
Gutiérrez Lake
Gutiérrez Lake is a lake of the lake region of northern Patagonia in the province of Río Negro, in Argentina. It is of glacial origin, being a Moraine-dammed lake. The lake is connected to Nahuel Huapi Lake.It was named by explorer and naturalist Francisco P...
, Traful
Traful Lake
Traful Lake is a lake in the Argentine province of Neuquén with an area of 70 km². The lake is the starting point of the Traful River that empties into the Nahuel Huapi Lake....
, Guillelmo, and Perito Moreno Lakes. Cerro Catedral
Cerro Catedral
Cerro Catedral is a mountain located from San Carlos de Bariloche, and inside the Nahuel Huapí National Park, Patagonia, Argentina.The mountain holds one of the biggest ski centers in South America, with a skiable area of , over of ski runs, and a lift capacity of 22,200 skiers per hour . It is...
is a 2388 metres (7,834.6 ft) high peak within the park and an important ski resort. Cerro Tronador
Tronador
Tronador is an extinct stratovolcano in the southern Andes, located along the border between Argentina and Chile near the city of Bariloche. The mountain was named Tronador by locals in reference to the sound of falling seracs...
, on the Chilean border, is the highest mountain in the park at 3491 metres (11,453.4 ft). Bordering the park to the north is the Lanín National Park
Lanín National Park
Lanín National Park is a national park of Argentina, located in the Neuquén Province, with forests of diverse tree varieties, mainly Fagaceae and conifers such as the lenga and the Araucaria, many species of which are not found elsewhere in Argentina....
.
Geology
Geological formations in the park and the reserve are generally tertiary rocks of volcanic origin coupled with andacites and porphyrys
Porphyry (geology)
Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...
. The cliffs of the San Pedro Peninsula depict eroded glacial features and the lakes also show many glacial effects.
Climate
The park has widely varying climatic conditions with the annual precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
ranging between 300 millimetre. It rains more towards the Chilean border.
Lake Nahuel Huapi
Lake Nahuel Huapi is the largest lake and deepest clear water lake, with a depth of 425 metres (1,394.4 ft), in the lake district of Argentina. Located at the foot of the Andes Mountains at an altitude of 767 metres (2,516.4 ft), it measures 544 square kilometres (210 sq mi). The lake was discovered by the Jesuit priest Nicolás Mascard in 1670 who also built a chapel on the Huemul Peninsula of the lake. The lake extends 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) across the border with Chile, and includes many fjords and the Valdivian temperate rain forest. The southern shore of the lake has many hotels and restaurant catering to the tourist industry. The Quetrihué Peninsula in the north of the lake has been set aside as a separate national park, Los Arrayanes National ParkLos Arrayanes National Park
Los Arrayanes National Park is a national park of Argentina with an area of 17.53 square kilometres. It covers the Quetrihué Peninsula on the shore of the Nahuel Huapi Lake in the province of Neuquén, 3 km from Villa la Angostura....
. The lake has many islands. The Forest Research station is located on one of them, Victoria Island, which is a natural reserve approachable by boats. Huemul Island
Huemul Island
Huemul Island is an island located in the Nahuel Huapi Lake, off the shore of San Carlos de Bariloche, a city in the province of Río Negro, Argentina, at . It derives its name from the Mapuche chief Güemul, whose tribe inhabited the area...
hosted the Huemul Project
Huemul Project
The Huemul Project was a secret project proposed by the German scientist of Austrian origin Ronald Richter to the government of Argentina during the first presidency of Juan Domingo Perón....
, the Argentinean secret research project on nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more atomic nuclei join together, or "fuse", to form a single heavier nucleus. This is usually accompanied by the release or absorption of large quantities of energy...
in 1949–1952.
Bariloche
San Carlos de BarilocheSan Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche, is a city in the , situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake and is located inside Nahuel Huapi National Park...
is located on the southern shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi. The town was established in 1902. However, its importance as tourist hub grew after the 1930s when the national park surrounding it was established. It is well known as the "Honeymoon Capital of Argentina", apart from its fame for its chocolate manufacturing industry. Its 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) stretch below the Andes mountains is bounded on the south by Lago Mascardi and on the north by the Villa Traful. North of the city the Seven Lakes road provides scenic vistas of landscapes. Glaciers and waterfalls, which are near to the Pampa Lenda, are located to the west of Bariloche. It is also the base for mountaineering trips to 3554 metres (11,660.1 ft) high Mount Tronador (also known as the Thunderer as ice falling produces such sounds) of extinct volcanic origin. The town is well-connected by air, rail and road transport; the airport is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the east of the town; and the train and bus stations are 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the east. The Cerro Catedral mountain peak is the snow sports center, with many skiing runs, which is 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) from Bariloche.
Flora and fauna
The park's ecology consists of Patagonian steppe at lower elevations and Valdivian temperate forests at higher elevations. It is notable for its rich wildlife due to its many biotopeBiotope
Biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. Biotope is almost synonymous with the term habitat, but while the subject of a habitat is a species or a population, the subject of a biotope is a biological community.It...
s, attributed to the varied altitude and precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
range.
Flora
Xerophytic Patagonian flora is dominant in the eastern half of the park while the western half is covered profusely with temperate rain forests. The dominant tree species in the park are the lenga
Lenga Beech
Nothofagus pumilio is a deciduous tree or shrub in the Nothofagaceae family that is native to the southern Andes range, in the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego, from 35° to 56° South latitude. This tree is in the same genus as the Coihue. It regenerates easily after...
s, coihue, and the ñires. Other varieties of trees seen in the park are the Chilean cedar (Austrocedrus
Austrocedrus
Austrocedrus is a genus of conifer belonging to the cypress family Cupressaceae. It has only one species, Austrocedrus chilensis, native to the Valdivian temperate rain forests and the adjacent drier steppe-forests of central-southern Chile and western Argentina from 33°S to 44°S latitude...
chilensis), Winter’s bark (Drimys winteri
Drimys winteri
Drimys winteri , or Canelo, is a slender tree, growing up to 20 m tall. It is native to the Magellanic and Valdivian temperate rain forests of Chile and Argentina, where it is a dominant tree in the coastal evergreen forests. It is found below 1200 meters between latitude 32° south and Cape...
), Myrceugenella apiculata, Lomatia ferruginea
Lomatia ferruginea
Lomatia ferruginea known as Fuinque is a small evergreen tree native to Chile in the Proteaceae family, it grows from Curicó Province to Magallanes...
, Lomatia hirsuta
Lomatia hirsuta
Lomatia hirsuta, known as Radal is a tree native to Chile. It grows from Coquimbo to Chiloe . It grows on a variety of soils and humidity. It grows on poor soils near ravines.-Description:...
, Alstroemeria aurantica, Fuchsia megellanica, bamboo Chusquea culcou, Mitraria cocinea and Embothrium coccineum
Embothrium coccineum
Chilean firetree, Chilean firebush, Notro in Spanish , is a small evergreen tree in the family Proteaceae. It grows in the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina....
. The alerce
Fitzroya
Fitzroya is a monotypic genus in the cypress family.-Species:The single living species, Fitzroya cupressoides, is a tall, long-lived conifer native to the Andes mountains of southern Chile and Argentina, where it is an important member of the Valdivian temperate rain forests...
or Patagonian cypress
Cypress
Cypress is the name applied to many plants in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is a conifer of northern temperate regions. Most cypress species are trees, while a few are shrubs...
is a slow-growing conifer
Pinophyta
The conifers, division Pinophyta, also known as division Coniferophyta or Coniferae, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. Pinophytes are gymnosperms. They are cone-bearing seed plants with vascular tissue; all extant conifers are woody plants, the great majority being...
which is also present. Other flora include arrayanes
Luma apiculata
Luma apiculata, is a species of tree in the genus Luma in the family Myrtaceae, native to the central Andes mountains between Chile and Argentina between 33 and 45° South Latitude. Synonyms include Myrtus luma Mol., Eugenia apiculata DC., Myrceugenia apiculata Niedenzu, and Myrceugenella...
, coihue
Coihue
Nothofagus dombeyi is a tree species native to southern Chile and the Andean parts of Argentine Patagonia. It grows from 35 to 45° South latitude between 700 and 1,200 m above mean sea level. It forms dense forests, like those found in the Los Alerces and Nahuel Huapi national parks...
s, fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s, the caña colihue reeds
Phragmites
Phragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...
, amancay
Amancay
Amancay can refer to:*The Spanish common name of the plants Alstroemeria aurantiaca and Alstroemeria patagonica .*Lagerstroemia species, which are often called "Amancay" in cultivation....
es and arvejillas. The llao llao fungus has irregular growth patterns on the trees and is a symbol of the area; it is also the name of the Llao Llao Hotel
Llao Llao Hotel
The Llao Llao Hotel is located in the tourist resort of San Carlos de Bariloche within the .This famous hotel is situated in the foothills of the Andes on a hill between the Moreno Lake and Nahuel Huapi lakes....
, a famous resort. The Valdivian rain forests is well forested with fine arrayan
Arrayán
-Plants:* In Spain, it refers to the Myrtaceae shrub Myrtus communis * In Argentina and Chile, it refers to the Myrtaceae shrub Luma apiculata * In Colombia, it refers to the Vochysiaceae tree Qualea ingens...
trees with crumbling bark. In the high rain fall zones close to the Chilean border there is profusion of 450 years old coihue trees (small leaved evergreen beeches). alerce
Fitzroya
Fitzroya is a monotypic genus in the cypress family.-Species:The single living species, Fitzroya cupressoides, is a tall, long-lived conifer native to the Andes mountains of southern Chile and Argentina, where it is an important member of the Valdivian temperate rain forests...
South American Spanish name) of 1500 year vintage are seen spread throughout the park. Bamboo cane grows in abundance.
Fauna
Animals include river otters (Lontra longicaudis), southern Andean huemul
Huemul
Huemul may refer to:* The South Andean deer* Huemul Island * Huemul Project...
s (Hippocamelus bisulcus), pudu
Pudu
Pudu may refer to:*Pudú, a genus of small deer;*Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, a town;* Pudu , a Buddhist monk in Yuan China, native of Danyang, Zhenjiang. Follower of Mao Ziyuan, propagator of the orthodoxy in the White Lotus teaching....
s (small deer), foxes, cougars
Cougars
Cougars is a Chicago-based rock band signed to the New York-based label Go-Kart Records.The Cougars' music is often compared to that of Rocket from the Crypt...
, guanacos and mara
Mara (mammal)
The maras are a genus of the cavy family. They are the sole representatives of the subfamily Dolichotinae. These large relatives of guinea pigs are common in the Patagonian steppes of Argentina but live in other areas of South America as well such as Paraguay...
s. Huillin
Southern River Otter
The Southern river otter is a species of otter that lives in Chile and Argentina. Although called a "river otter", it inhabits both marine and freshwater environments....
(Lontra provocax), an endangered native otter, has been reported in the park. Avifauna reported include Magellanic Woodpecker
Magellanic Woodpecker
The Magellanic Woodpecker is a very large woodpecker resident to Chile along the Andes, and to some parts of southwestern Argentina. This species is the southern-most example of the genus Campephilus, which includes the famous Ivory-billed Woodpecker.The Magellanic Woodpecker is 45 cm in length...
s, green Austral Parakeet
Austral Parakeet
The Austral Parakeet, Austral Conure or Emerald Parakeet, Enicognathus ferrugineus, is a parrot found on the southern tip of South America - further south than any other parrot - ranging as far north as Temuco. It is a fairly large conure, 35cm...
s, geese, ducks, swans
Swans
Swans can refer to:*Swan, the birdMusic*Swans , an American band formed in 1982*Swans , an EP by the above band*Swans, an EP by the Filipino electronic act Names Are For Tombstones...
, blue-eyed cormorant
Imperial Shag
The Imperial Shag, Phalacrocorax atriceps, is a black and white cormorant native to many subantarctic islands, the Antarctic Peninsula and southern South America, primarily in rocky coastal regions, but locally also at large inland lakes. It is sometimes placed in the genus Leucocarbo instead...
s, Andean condor
Andean Condor
The Andean Condor is a species of South American bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae and is the only member of the genus Vultur...
s (Vultur gryphus) and Green-backed Firecrown
Green-backed Firecrown
The Green-backed Firecrown is a hummingbird that is found in Argentina and Chile. It can be fairly common in some locations, especially the Robinson Crusoe Island, 350 miles off the Chilean coast. It is found as far south as Tierra del Fuego.Like its cousin the Juan Fernández Firecrown, the...
s (Saphonoides sephaniodes). Amphibian fauna reported are Hylorina sylvatica and Bufo spinolosus. Five genera and 32 species of Simuliidae (black fly
Black fly
A black fly is any member of the family Simuliidae of the Culicomorpha infraorder. They are related to the Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, and Thaumaleidae. There are over 1,800 known species of black flies . Most species belong to the immense genus Simulium...
) have been recorded. These genera are Cnesia, Cnesiamima, Gigantodax, Paraustrasimulium, and Simulium (Pternaspatha), a subgenus of Simulium with 19 species; these account for 57% of the Simuliidae fauna found in Argentina.
Nahuelito
Nahuelito
Nahuelito is a lake monster reported to live in Nahuel Huapi Lake, Patagonia, Argentina. Like Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, the Argentine creature is named after the lake she resides in and has been described as a giant serpent or a huge hump, as well as a plesiosaur...
is a lake monster named after the Nahuel Huapi Lake as its sighting in the lake is reported widely. Whether it is a fact or fiction, its sighting has been reported by local people and tourists with widely varying descriptions mentioning a “giant water snake with humps and fish-like fins to a swan with a snake's head, the overturned hull of a boat, and the stump of a tree”. Its length is also reported in the range of 15 –. Reported widely since the 1920s, predating Nessie
NESSIE
NESSIE was a European research project funded from 2000–2003 to identify secure cryptographic primitives. The project was comparable to the NIST AES process and the Japanese Government-sponsored CRYPTREC project, but with notable differences from both...
and the book titled The Lost World (Arthur Conan Doyle)
The Lost World (Arthur Conan Doyle)
The Lost World is a novel released in 1912 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle concerning an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon basin of South America where prehistoric animals still survive. It was originally published serially in the popular Strand Magazine during the months of April 1912-November 1912...
, Nahuelito is described as “an Argentinean media star.”
Recreation
Some of the well-developed routes for mountaineering are: The climb to the Thunderer volcano, which has several trails that reach up to the large glaciers; trails to the Tronador (an extinct volcano); the trails that link the San Martin shelter and Manfredo Segre (Black Lagoon); treks to San Martín and Manfredo Segre (Laguna Negra); to Lopez and to the viewpoint of the Stone of Habsburg, the walk of Paso de las Nubes Puerto Frías linking to Pampa Linda; to the valley and the ridge of Mount Rucaco Black Gap; and to Frey and San Martín (Jakoh lagoon), which passes by the edge of Cerro Catedral.
The trekking routes have accommodation facilities at several locations and the treks depend on fitness and the distance varies from a minimum of 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to a maximum of 45 kilometres (28 mi) involving 1-2-3 and more than 4 days of trekking. The treks are graded under four categories depending on the terrain and the difficulty of climbing rugged hills of heights varying from 200 to 3000 m (656.2 to 9,842.5 ).