Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park
Encyclopedia
Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park is located in Los Lagos Region
, Llanquihue Province
, of Chile
. Its western entrance is close to the Ensenada locality, 82 km (51 mi) northeast of the provincial capital of Puerto Montt
, and 64 km (40 mi) from Puerto Varas
along Ruta CH-225. This national park covers about 2530 sqkm and is almost entirely in the Andes
mountain chain. The adjacent national parks Vicente Pérez Rosales and Puyehue National Park
in Chile, and Nahuel Huapi National Park
and Lanín National Park
in Argentina
, provide a continuous protected area of close to 15000 sqkm.
The park protects the body of Todos los Santos Lake
and a large part of its catchment. The outlet of the lake at the Petrohué locality gives rise to the Petrohué River
. A short distance downstream, still within the limits of the Park, the Petrohué river flows through the Petrohue Waterfalls
. The Park also contains the eastern slope of Volcan Osorno
, the southern slope of the Puntiagudo
and the western slopes of the Tronador
, with a maximum altitude of 3491 m (11,453 ft). These mountains with year round snow give a strong imprint to the landscape.
A summary of geographical and limnological data for lake Todos los Santos is found in the database of the International Lake Environment Committee.
. Average annual precipitation in the Petrohué area (lat 41°08'S), at an elevation of 700 m (2,297 ft), is around 4000 mm (157 in). Precipitation on the Lake surface is around 3000 to 4000 mm (118.1 to 157.5 ) while on the western slope of the mountains it may reach 5000 mm (197 in) per year. The predominant air flow is from west to east and the mass of air, when lifted over the mountains, releases precipitation. Eastern slopes tend to receive less rainfall. The most rainy months are June, July and August, while the least rain is recorded in January, February and March. Average annual temperature at the inhabited levels, 3000 to 4000 mm (118.1 to 157.5 ) altitude, is around 11 to 12 °C (51.8 to 53.6 F). Above 1000 m (3,281 ft) altitude, snow persists for most of the year. During the warm summer months, average daily maximum temperature may be around 25 °C (77 °F). Vegetation growth extends over approximately 6 months of the year.
, an igneous rock. Except for recent sediments and volcanic cinders, no old sedimentary rocks appears anywhere in the Park. Through the igneous rock substratum, a number of stratovolcano
es have emerged. The Tronador and related structures are the result of volcanic activity dating back to the early Pleistocene. At the western entrance to the Park, the symmetrical cone of the Osorno volcano forms a towering landmark over the Todos los Santos and Llanquihue lakes. The peak of the Osorno is at 2652 m (8,701 ft). The Osorno built up on top of an older stratovolcano, La Picada, which has a 6-km-wide caldera now mostly buried. The Puntiagudo is a sratovolcano with a sharp peak whose summit is at 2493 m (8,179 ft). From the Puntiagudo to the northeast for 18 km (11 mi) extends a fissure that has given birth to 40-odd basaltic scoria cones. The Cayutue La Vigueria volcanic field consists of some 20 maars and cinder cones, of which Volcan Cayutue is the principal. The activity of Volcan Cayutue filled the Cayutue depression and separated the Todos los santos lake from the Ralun estuary. Lava flows from these volcanoes is basaltic and andesitic. Their activity is generally explosive and lava flows are highly viscous. A summary of scientific information on the volcanoes of the Park (Osorno, Puntiagudo-Cordón Cenizos and La Viguería) is available from the Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian Institution.
A second major factor that shaped the landscape was the action of glaciers during the ice age. Huge glaciers descended from the Tronador and found the way through the Todos los Santos valley far into the Central Valley of Chile. The glaciers removed practically all sediments that had deposited earlier. At exposed capes, visitors can observe the scratches left by stones carried by the glacier on the denuded surface of the granite opposing the flow of the glacier.
Volcanoes were active during the retreating phase of the ice age. Some geologists postulate that Lake Todos los Santos and Llanquihue were just one lake in which the Osorno volcano built up until the two water bodies were separated. From then on, lake Todos los Santos had its surface level lifted as successive lava flows from the Osorno blocked the outlet of the lake. At the Petrohue waterfalls, one sees the river flow over such a constraining andesite lava flow. The steep left bank of the river is granodiorite. These volcanoes expel large quantities of loose cinder that in depositing give the rounded conic shape. These cinders are easily washed away by rain and surface water flow, so that the Puntiagudo, an elder brother of the Osorno, is denuded to the hard core of lava frozen inside the volcanic chimney.
In a recent geological if not historical event, rocks of volcanic origin raised the Ensenada depression between the Osorno and the Calbuco volcanoes, thus forcing the Llanquihue lake to open a new outlet to the sea on its western shore.
The vegetation of the Park corresponds to the Valdivian temperate rain forests
in its mountain variant. The composition of the forest changes with altitude and substratum. Generally the most common and visible tree is coihue
, Nothofagus dombeyi, in changing association with other species that include muermo, also known as ulmo, Eucryphia cordifolia
and tineo, teñiu, Weinmannia trichosperma
. At relatively warm locations, that is, close to the lake, there are thickets of tique, Aextoxicon punctatum. In particularly humid locations, canelo, fuñe, Drimys winteri
is common; this species is also known as Winter's bark. At altitudes above 900 meters, coihue is replaced by deciduous leaf Nothofagus species.
Trees and bushes of the Myrtaceae
, the family of myrtus, are with nine species the most diversified taxon in the Park. They are generally associated with the presence of plenty water. Easily visible on beaches because of its bright orange bark is Temu, arrayan, Luma apiculata
, Chilean myrtle. Luma colorada, reloncavi, Amomyrtus
luma is well known in Chile because of its dense, heavy wood that was used to manufacture police truncheons.
The lineage of the Proteaceae
, with relatives in Australia and New Zealand, has several representatives in the Park. Notro, fosforillo, Embothrium
coccineum, Chilean firebush, has plentiful red tubular flowers and is frequent almost everywhere at the fringe of the forest. Avellano, gevuin, Gevuina avellana
, Chilean hazel, carries edible nuts called avellanas. This tree does not shed its nuts until the following year, so on its branches co-exist yellow-white aromatic flowers, unripe red nuts and ripe black nuts.
Among herbaceous vegetation, the giant pangue, nalca, Chilean rhubarb Gunnera tinctoria
is ubiquitous. It grows up to 2 meters tall and has very large leaves. The stem is edible and the indigenous name "nalca" actually applies to this part of the plant. The root was used in the past for dyeing wool; it yields a brown color. Pangue is among the first plants to colonize land freed by landslide.
In this forest ecosystem, a number of plant species rely on birds, notably hummingbirds, for pollination. The flowers of these species are generally bright red and yellow and have no perfume. The flowers awaiting the visit of birds tend to be tubular and hanging.
A number of exotic plants have become feral in the Park. The most visible impact is given by retamo, Spanish Broom
Spartium junceum, syn. Genista juncea, also known as Weaver's Broom, a perennial, leguminous shrub native to the Mediterranean region, toxic to animals. It thrives on the sand fields around the Osorno, along the road from Ensenada to Petrohue and in Petrohue. Retamo is very pretty when in flower but it does not belong.
About 30 species of mammals live in the Park. These species are shy and difficult to observe. This Park and the geographically contiguous Puyehue, Nahuel Huapi and Lanin parks provide habitat to the Puma, Pu,a concolor. The local sub-species is relatively small, usually not more than 30 or 40 kg, and preys on pudu Pudu puda, a tiny deer of solitary and reclusive forest habitat. Huiña, kodkod, Leopardus guigna, often mistaken for a stocky, short wild cat, is actually a member of the family of the leopards, a tiny ocelot. Of the group of the Canidae, the dogs, the Park is inhabited by chilla, Pseudalopex griseus, an animal that looks like a small fox but is not actually a fox.
Introduced European red deer, Cervus elaphus, is having negative impact on natural renewal of the forest. Also damaging to the ecosystem balance is the introduced wild boar
, Sus scrofa.
Three native species of carnivores of the Mustelidae
group inhabit the Park. One is Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk
, Conepatus chinga; the second is Lesser grison
, Galictis cuja; the third is Southern River Otter
, Lontra provocax, an endangered species. An introduced mustelid: American mink
, Mustela vison, has wrought havoc in the Parks ecosystems. The impact of mink has been devastating for bird species nesting on the ground and on floating reeds.
A diversity of animals of the rodent group live in the park. The larger ones are coipo, coypu
, Myocastor coypus, a webbed-feet animal that inhabits reedy lake and river banks; and Wolffsohn's Viscacha
, Lagidium wolffsohni, of the Chinchillidae
family, whose preferred habitat is above the timber line. Among the smaller rodents, scientists have shown particular interest for Chilean Climbing Mouse
, Irenomys tarsalis, and for the Long-clawed Mole Mouse
, Geoxus valdivianus.
The park is home to two species of marsupial mammals. Monito del Monte
, Dromiciops gliroides, has a semi-arboreal habit. It has been discussed why this South American marsupial appears to more closely related to the marsupials of Australasia than to those of the Americas. The other marsupial in the Park is the Long-nosed Shrew Opossum
, Ryncholestes raphanurus, first described for science in 1923.
Around 80 species of birds, among full-time residents, seasonal migrants and visitors, are seen in the Park. Among the full-time residents are the Rhinocriptidae, of which the easiest to hear, and sometimes to see, is Chucao Tapaculo
, Scelorchilus rubecula. Another rhinocryptid bird: Black-throated Huet-huet
, Pteroptochos tarnii, is a speciality for birders in this park. Torrent Duck
, Merganetta armata, is sometimes seen at Petrohue waterfalls. One species of hummingbirds, the firecrown Sephanoides sephaniodes, is common and easily visible in the Park.
The native fish fauna in Todos los Santos lake has been upset with the introduction of several species of trout and salmon. Sports fishing of these introduced species is a major activity in the Park.
Among arthropods, the large antlered scarabeid beetle Chiasognathus granti, and the shiny coloured cerambicid beetle Cheloderus childreni have to be mentioned.
Lake Todos los Santos is a segment of a trail over the Andes known to have been used for centuries. In the late 19th century, a regular freight and tourist service between Puerto Montt was established, together with hotels and lodges. There are modern good quality hotels at the lake access points Petrohue and Peulla. Lodges catering for the needs of fisherpersons exist at the lake in Cayutue and close to Petrohue waterfalls and river. In Petrohue, private enterprise offers motor boats for rent.
Los Lagos Region
Los Lagos Region is one of Chile's 15 regions, which are first order administrative divisions, and comprises four provinces: Chiloé, Llanquihue, Osorno and Palena. The region contains the country's second largest island, Chiloé, and the second largest lake, Llanquihue.Its capital is Puerto Montt;...
, Llanquihue Province
Llanquihue Province
Llanquihue Province is one of four provinces of the Chilean region of Los Lagos . Its capital is Puerto Montt. Chile's second largest lake, Lake Llanquihue, is located in the province as well as four volcanoes: Osorno, Calbuco, Puntiagudo and Cerro Tronador....
, of 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...
. Its western entrance is close to the Ensenada locality, 82 km (51 mi) northeast of the provincial capital of Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune spans an area of and had a population of 175,938 in 2002. It is located 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago...
, and 64 km (40 mi) from Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas is a city and commune located in the southern Chilean province of Llanquihue, in the Los Lagos Region.The city is well known for its German traditions, its food, its fish and seafood, the natural environment, its casino and 5 star hotels. Only from Puerto Montt, located on the shore...
along Ruta CH-225. This national park covers about 2530 sqkm and is almost entirely in the 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...
mountain chain. The adjacent national parks Vicente Pérez Rosales and Puyehue National Park
Puyehue National Park
Puyehue National Park is located in the Andes, in Los Ríos and Los Lagos Region of Chile. It covers . The Route 215 passes through the park. It connects with the Argentine Route 231 via Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass....
in Chile, and Nahuel Huapi National Park
Nahuel Huapi National Park
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 Patagonian Andes. The largest of the national parks in the region, it has an area of , or nearly 2 million acres...
and 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....
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...
, provide a continuous protected area of close to 15000 sqkm.
The park protects the body of Todos los Santos Lake
Todos los Santos Lake
Lake Todos los Santos is a lake located in the Los Lagos Region of southern Chile, 96 km northeast of the regional capital Puerto Montt and 76 km east of Puerto Varas, within the boundaries of the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. It has a surface area of 178.5 km² and a maximum depth of 337 m...
and a large part of its catchment. The outlet of the lake at the Petrohué locality gives rise to the Petrohué River
Petrohué River
Petrohué River is a Chilean river located in the Los Lagos Region of Chile. It originates from Todos los Santos Lake in the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park...
. A short distance downstream, still within the limits of the Park, the Petrohué river flows through the Petrohue Waterfalls
Petrohué Waterfalls
Petrohué Waterfalls is a chute-type waterfall in the upper reach of Petrohué River in Chile, a short distance downstream of the source of this river in Todos los Santos Lake. This waterfall is inside the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, close to the road leading to the Petrohue locality on...
. The Park also contains the eastern slope of Volcan Osorno
Volcán Osorno
Osorno Volcano is a tall conical stratovolcano lying between Osorno Province and Llanquihue Province, in Los Lagos Region of Chile. It stands on the southeastern shore of Llanquihue Lake, and also towers over Todos los Santos Lake...
, the southern slope of the Puntiagudo
Puntiagudo-Cordón Cenizos
Puntiagudo-Cordón Cenizos is a snow-capped volcanic chain located in the Andes, in Los Lagos Region of Chile, near Volcán Osorno. It lies between Rupanco Lake and Todos los Santos Lake...
and the western slopes of the 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...
, with a maximum altitude of 3491 m (11,453 ft). These mountains with year round snow give a strong imprint to the landscape.
A summary of geographical and limnological data for lake Todos los Santos is found in the database of the International Lake Environment Committee.
Climate
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile (Chilean Meteorological Service) published a climate summary for the 10th Region. Average annual precipitation in the Petrohué area (lat 41°08'S), at an elevation of 700 m (2,297 ft), is around 4000 mm (157 in). Precipitation on the Lake surface is around 3000 to 4000 mm (118.1 to 157.5 ) while on the western slope of the mountains it may reach 5000 mm (197 in) per year. The predominant air flow is from west to east and the mass of air, when lifted over the mountains, releases precipitation. Eastern slopes tend to receive less rainfall. The most rainy months are June, July and August, while the least rain is recorded in January, February and March. Average annual temperature at the inhabited levels, 3000 to 4000 mm (118.1 to 157.5 ) altitude, is around 11 to 12 °C (51.8 to 53.6 F). Above 1000 m (3,281 ft) altitude, snow persists for most of the year. During the warm summer months, average daily maximum temperature may be around 25 °C (77 °F). Vegetation growth extends over approximately 6 months of the year.
Geology
The geological substratum of the Park area is generally GranodioriteGranodiorite
Granodiorite is an intrusive igneous rock similar to granite, but containing more plagioclase than orthoclase-type feldspar. Officially, it is defined as a phaneritic igneous rock with greater than 20% quartz by volume where at least 65% of the feldspar is plagioclase. It usually contains abundant...
, an igneous rock. Except for recent sediments and volcanic cinders, no old sedimentary rocks appears anywhere in the Park. Through the igneous rock substratum, a number of stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
es have emerged. The Tronador and related structures are the result of volcanic activity dating back to the early Pleistocene. At the western entrance to the Park, the symmetrical cone of the Osorno volcano forms a towering landmark over the Todos los Santos and Llanquihue lakes. The peak of the Osorno is at 2652 m (8,701 ft). The Osorno built up on top of an older stratovolcano, La Picada, which has a 6-km-wide caldera now mostly buried. The Puntiagudo is a sratovolcano with a sharp peak whose summit is at 2493 m (8,179 ft). From the Puntiagudo to the northeast for 18 km (11 mi) extends a fissure that has given birth to 40-odd basaltic scoria cones. The Cayutue La Vigueria volcanic field consists of some 20 maars and cinder cones, of which Volcan Cayutue is the principal. The activity of Volcan Cayutue filled the Cayutue depression and separated the Todos los santos lake from the Ralun estuary. Lava flows from these volcanoes is basaltic and andesitic. Their activity is generally explosive and lava flows are highly viscous. A summary of scientific information on the volcanoes of the Park (Osorno, Puntiagudo-Cordón Cenizos and La Viguería) is available from the Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian Institution.
A second major factor that shaped the landscape was the action of glaciers during the ice age. Huge glaciers descended from the Tronador and found the way through the Todos los Santos valley far into the Central Valley of Chile. The glaciers removed practically all sediments that had deposited earlier. At exposed capes, visitors can observe the scratches left by stones carried by the glacier on the denuded surface of the granite opposing the flow of the glacier.
Volcanoes were active during the retreating phase of the ice age. Some geologists postulate that Lake Todos los Santos and Llanquihue were just one lake in which the Osorno volcano built up until the two water bodies were separated. From then on, lake Todos los Santos had its surface level lifted as successive lava flows from the Osorno blocked the outlet of the lake. At the Petrohue waterfalls, one sees the river flow over such a constraining andesite lava flow. The steep left bank of the river is granodiorite. These volcanoes expel large quantities of loose cinder that in depositing give the rounded conic shape. These cinders are easily washed away by rain and surface water flow, so that the Puntiagudo, an elder brother of the Osorno, is denuded to the hard core of lava frozen inside the volcanic chimney.
In a recent geological if not historical event, rocks of volcanic origin raised the Ensenada depression between the Osorno and the Calbuco volcanoes, thus forcing the Llanquihue lake to open a new outlet to the sea on its western shore.
Flora
Valdivian temperate rain forests
The Valdivian temperate rain forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed-forest ecoregion located on the west coast of southern South America, lying mostly in Chile and extending into a small part of Argentina. It is part of the Neotropic ecozone. The forests are named after the city of Valdivia...
in its mountain variant. The composition of the forest changes with altitude and substratum. Generally the most common and visible tree is 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...
, Nothofagus dombeyi, in changing association with other species that include muermo, also known as ulmo, Eucryphia cordifolia
Eucryphia cordifolia
Eucryphia cordifolia is a species of tree in the Cunoniaceae family. It is found in Chile and Argentina. It is threatened by logging and habitat loss. The natural habitat is along the Andes Range from 38 to 43°S, and up to 700 meters above sea level. It is a very elegant tree with a thick trunk...
and tineo, teñiu, Weinmannia trichosperma
Weinmannia trichosperma
Weinmannia trichosperma , is a evergreen tree in the family of Cunoniaceae, it is native to Chile and Argentina: 35 to 47°S. endemic to laurel forest habitat.-Description:...
. At relatively warm locations, that is, close to the lake, there are thickets of tique, Aextoxicon punctatum. In particularly humid locations, canelo, fuñe, 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...
is common; this species is also known as Winter's bark. At altitudes above 900 meters, coihue is replaced by deciduous leaf Nothofagus species.
Trees and bushes of the Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
, the family of myrtus, are with nine species the most diversified taxon in the Park. They are generally associated with the presence of plenty water. Easily visible on beaches because of its bright orange bark is Temu, arrayan, Luma apiculata
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...
, Chilean myrtle. Luma colorada, reloncavi, Amomyrtus
Amomyrtus
Amomyrtus is a genus of the botanical family Myrtaceae.Species:* Amomyrtus luma* Amomyrtus meli...
luma is well known in Chile because of its dense, heavy wood that was used to manufacture police truncheons.
The lineage of the Proteaceae
Proteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
, with relatives in Australia and New Zealand, has several representatives in the Park. Notro, fosforillo, Embothrium
Embothrium
Embothrium is a genus of two to eight species in the plant family Proteaceae, native to southern South America, in Chile and adjacent western Argentina and southern Peru; the genus occurs as far south as Tierra del Fuego...
coccineum, Chilean firebush, has plentiful red tubular flowers and is frequent almost everywhere at the fringe of the forest. Avellano, gevuin, Gevuina avellana
Gevuina avellana
Gevuina avellana is an evergreen tree of the family Proteaceae, up to 20 meters tall. It is native to southern Chile and adjacent valleys in Argentina. It is found from sea level to 700 meters above sea level. Its distribution extends from 35° to 44° south latitude...
, Chilean hazel, carries edible nuts called avellanas. This tree does not shed its nuts until the following year, so on its branches co-exist yellow-white aromatic flowers, unripe red nuts and ripe black nuts.
Among herbaceous vegetation, the giant pangue, nalca, Chilean rhubarb Gunnera tinctoria
Gunnera tinctoria
Gunnera tinctoria, the Chilean rhubarb, is a plant species native to southern Chile and neighbour zones in Argentina. It is a large-leaved perennial plant that grows up to two metres tall. It is introduced in large parts of the world as an ornamental and edible plant...
is ubiquitous. It grows up to 2 meters tall and has very large leaves. The stem is edible and the indigenous name "nalca" actually applies to this part of the plant. The root was used in the past for dyeing wool; it yields a brown color. Pangue is among the first plants to colonize land freed by landslide.
In this forest ecosystem, a number of plant species rely on birds, notably hummingbirds, for pollination. The flowers of these species are generally bright red and yellow and have no perfume. The flowers awaiting the visit of birds tend to be tubular and hanging.
A number of exotic plants have become feral in the Park. The most visible impact is given by retamo, Spanish Broom
Spanish Broom
Spartium junceum , known as Spanish Broom or Weaver's Broom, is a perennial, leguminous shrub native to the Mediterranean region in southern Europe, southwest Asia and northwest Africa, where it is found in sunny sites, usually on dry, sandy soils...
Spartium junceum, syn. Genista juncea, also known as Weaver's Broom, a perennial, leguminous shrub native to the Mediterranean region, toxic to animals. It thrives on the sand fields around the Osorno, along the road from Ensenada to Petrohue and in Petrohue. Retamo is very pretty when in flower but it does not belong.
Fauna
Introduced European red deer, Cervus elaphus, is having negative impact on natural renewal of the forest. Also damaging to the ecosystem balance is the introduced wild boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
, Sus scrofa.
Three native species of carnivores of the Mustelidae
Mustelidae
Mustelidae , commonly referred to as the weasel family, are a family of carnivorous mammals. Mustelids are diverse and the largest family in the order Carnivora, at least partly because in the past it has been a catch-all category for many early or poorly differentiated taxa...
group inhabit the Park. One is Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk
Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk
Molina's hog-nosed skunk, also called the Andes Skunk , is a skunk species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay in heights up to 5000m.-References:**The Andes: A Trekking Guide...
, Conepatus chinga; the second is Lesser grison
Lesser Grison
The lesser grison , Galictis cuja, is a mammal species of the ferret family Mustelidae from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay....
, Galictis cuja; the third is Southern River Otter
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 species. An introduced mustelid: American mink
American Mink
The American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the...
, Mustela vison, has wrought havoc in the Parks ecosystems. The impact of mink has been devastating for bird species nesting on the ground and on floating reeds.
A diversity of animals of the rodent group live in the park. The larger ones are coipo, coypu
Coypu
The coypu , , also known as the river rat, and nutria, is a large, herbivorous, semiaquatic rodent and the only member of the family Myocastoridae. Originally native to subtropical and temperate South America, it has since been introduced to North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, primarily by...
, Myocastor coypus, a webbed-feet animal that inhabits reedy lake and river banks; and Wolffsohn's Viscacha
Wolffsohn's Viscacha
Wolffsohn's Viscacha is a species of rodent in the family Chinchillidae. It is found in Argentina and Chile. Its natural habitat is rocky areas....
, Lagidium wolffsohni, of the Chinchillidae
Chinchillidae
The family Chinchillidae contains the chinchillas, viscachas, and their fossil relatives. They are restricted to southern and western South America, often in association with the Andes. They are large rodents, weighing from to , with strong hind legs and large ears...
family, whose preferred habitat is above the timber line. Among the smaller rodents, scientists have shown particular interest for Chilean Climbing Mouse
Chilean Climbing Mouse
Irenomys tarsalis, also known as the Chilean Climbing Mouse, Chilean Tree Mouse, or Long-footed Irenomys, is a rodent found in Chile, from about 36° to 46°S, and in adjacent Argentina, mainly in forests...
, Irenomys tarsalis, and for the Long-clawed Mole Mouse
Long-Clawed Mole Mouse
Geoxus valdivianus, also known as the Long-clawed Mole Mouse or Valdivian Long-clawed Akodont, is a species of rodent in the tribe Abrotrichini of family Cricetidae found in the Valdivian temperate rain forests and Magellanic subpolar forests of Argentina and Chile. It is the only species in the...
, Geoxus valdivianus.
The park is home to two species of marsupial mammals. Monito del Monte
Monito del Monte
The Monito del Monte The Monito del Monte The Monito del Monte (Spanish for "little mountain monkey", Dromiciops gliroides, is a diminutive marsupial native only to southwestern South America (Chile and Argentina). It is the only extant species in the ancient order Microbiotheria, and the sole New...
, Dromiciops gliroides, has a semi-arboreal habit. It has been discussed why this South American marsupial appears to more closely related to the marsupials of Australasia than to those of the Americas. The other marsupial in the Park is the Long-nosed Shrew Opossum
Long-nosed Shrew Opossum
The Long-nosed Caenolestid , or Long-nosed Shrew Opossum, is one of six surviving species of shrew opossum. It is a small marsupial that lives in old growth evergreen temperate forests in Chile and Argentina...
, Ryncholestes raphanurus, first described for science in 1923.
Around 80 species of birds, among full-time residents, seasonal migrants and visitors, are seen in the Park. Among the full-time residents are the Rhinocriptidae, of which the easiest to hear, and sometimes to see, is Chucao Tapaculo
Chucao Tapaculo
The Chucao Tapaculo is a species of bird in the Rhinocryptidae family.It is found in Argentina and Chile.Its natural habitat is temperate forests.-References:...
, Scelorchilus rubecula. Another rhinocryptid bird: Black-throated Huet-huet
Black-throated Huet-huet
The Black-throated Huet-huet is a species of bird in the Rhinocryptidae family.It is found in Argentina and Chile.Its natural habitat is temperate forests.-References:...
, Pteroptochos tarnii, is a speciality for birders in this park. Torrent Duck
Torrent Duck
The Torrent Duck is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is the only member of the genus Merganetta. Today it is placed in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae after the "perching duck" assemblage where it was formerly assigned to was dissolved because it turned out to be...
, Merganetta armata, is sometimes seen at Petrohue waterfalls. One species of hummingbirds, the firecrown Sephanoides sephaniodes, is common and easily visible in the Park.
The native fish fauna in Todos los Santos lake has been upset with the introduction of several species of trout and salmon. Sports fishing of these introduced species is a major activity in the Park.
Among arthropods, the large antlered scarabeid beetle Chiasognathus granti, and the shiny coloured cerambicid beetle Cheloderus childreni have to be mentioned.
Park services
Management of this and other national parks in Chile is entrusted to Corporacion Nacional Forestal, CONAF. CONAF has outposts in Ensenada, Petrohue and Peulla and control posts at the Petrohue waterfalls and at various access points to the Osorno volcano. A camping place administered by CONAF exists in Petrohue. CONAF has habilitated a number of hiking trails, of which the more significant ones are: Sendero Paso Desolacion on the eastern slope of the Osorno, with 12 km length and reaching up to 1 100 meters altitude, and Sendero Laguna Margarita in Peulla, 8 km long.Lake Todos los Santos is a segment of a trail over the Andes known to have been used for centuries. In the late 19th century, a regular freight and tourist service between Puerto Montt was established, together with hotels and lodges. There are modern good quality hotels at the lake access points Petrohue and Peulla. Lodges catering for the needs of fisherpersons exist at the lake in Cayutue and close to Petrohue waterfalls and river. In Petrohue, private enterprise offers motor boats for rent.