Page 114 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #10

OURWILD WORLD

3

1

3
2

NATIONAL PARKS OF THE WORLD Area: 2,273km² Highest peak: 2,884m Area of Grey Glacier: 270km²

TorresdelPaine Patagonia, Chile

Whattosee
Named for the ‘blue towers’
1 PUMA 2 GUANACO 3 OTHER SPECIES
– three sheer granite peaks

that loom over its teal-hued Whentogo
lakes – this windswept Weather in Patagonia
Though not strictly a Believed to be the Spot Andean condor is notoriously
landscape of pampas
big cat, this predator wild ancestor of the soaring thermals fickle at any time.
grassland, lenga forest, – which can grow domesticated llama, among the high November–March
glaciers and jagged rock to nearly 2m long the guanaco is a peaks, watch for (summer) is best
and over 100kg – is hardy camelid that ostrich-like Darwin’s for hiking, while
spires attracts trekkers and both impressive and grazes and browses rhea, and admire the June–August can
wildlife-watchers alike.Along elusive, and known Andean foothills and vivid scarlet flowers offer good sightings
of pumas hunting
with 26 species of mammal, as the‘ghost cat’.The slopes up to 4,250m of the Chilean firetree the guanacos that
population density in altitude.Far from in spring. If you’re gather in large herds
including the elusive puma, Patagonia is among camera-shy,the really fortunate you in winter.

it’s home to at least the highest, and this park’s 3,000 or so might spot a huemul,

115 bird species and an park offers relatively guanacos can be seen an Endangered south GO THERE WITH
reliable sightings. migrating in groups. Andean deer. •Natural World Safaris
array of unique flora. •Naturetrek Illustration by Bex Glover
•Wildlife Worldwide
Spotability IF YOU’RE LUCKY GUARANTEED LIKELY

114 BBC Wildlife October 2018