Archipiélago de Juan Fernández National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Archipiélago de Juan Fernández National Park |
|
|---|---|
|
IUCN Category II (National Park)
|
|
.jpg)
Robinson Crusoe Island
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Valparaíso Region, Chile |
| Nearest city | San Antonio, Chile |
| Area | 96 km² |
| Established | January 16, 1935 |
| Visitors | 1,416 (in 2012) |
| Governing body | CONAF |
The Archipiélago de Juan Fernández National Park is a special protected area in the Pacific Ocean. It's about 665 kilometers (413 miles) west of Chile's mainland port of San Antonio. This national park covers 96 square kilometers (37 square miles). It includes three main islands: Santa Clara, Alejandro Selkirk, and most of Robinson Crusoe Island. The park was created on January 16, 1935.
Contents
Climate of Juan Fernández Islands
The islands have a warm, mild climate, like the Mediterranean climate. But it changes depending on the island. The cold Humboldt Current and southeast trade winds also affect the weather. Temperatures usually range from 3°C (37°F) to 34°C (93°F). The average temperature is about 15.4°C (59.7°F). Higher places on Robinson Crusoe Island are cooler. Sometimes there are frosts there.
The islands get about 1081 mm (42.6 inches) of rain each year. This amount can change a lot, from 318 mm (12.5 inches) to 1698 mm (66.9 inches). How much rain falls often depends on something called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. There is usually a dry season for 4-5 months in the warmer summer. More rain falls in the winter months. Rain also changes with how high up a place is and how much wind it gets. Areas above 500 meters (1,640 feet) get a lot of rain. The western, sheltered sides of Robinson Crusoe and Santa Clara are quite dry.
Amazing Ecosystem of the Park
The Juan Fernández islands are home to many rare and unique plants and animals. Some of these are found nowhere else in the world. They are also in danger of disappearing. For example, the Juan Fernández Hummingbird is very rare. The islands are known as a special "ecoregion." This means they have a unique natural environment. In 1977, UNESCO named the whole group of islands a Biosphere Reserve. This helps protect their special nature.
The islands were formed by volcanoes. They are very far from the mainland of South America. This means they have fewer types of plants and animals. The closest relatives of these island species are found in southern Chile. These areas include the Valdivian temperate rain forests and Magellanic subpolar forests.
Unique Plants of the Islands (Flora)
There are 209 native types of plants with tubes that carry water (vascular plants) in the park. About 150 of these are flowering plants and 50 are ferns. A huge number, 126 species (62 percent), are endemic. This means they grow only here. There are even 12 plant groups (genera) and one whole plant family (Lactoridaceae) found only on these islands. Many plants are similar to those found in the Antarctic flora. They are related to plants in southern South America, New Zealand, and Australia.
Different types of plants grow at different heights on the islands. At lower levels, you'll find grasslands and shrubs. In the middle, there are tall and mountain forests. At the highest points, there are more shrubs. The two main islands have slightly different plant groups.
Alejandro Selkirk Island is mostly covered with grassland up to 400 meters (1,312 feet). It has wooded valleys with dry forests of Myrceugenia and Zanthoxylum fagara. From 400 to 600 meters (1,312 to 1,968 feet) are lower mountain forests. Upper mountain forests grow from 600 to 950 meters (1,968 to 3,116 feet). Above 950 meters, there are alpine shrubs and grasslands. These areas have plants like Acaena, Dicksonia, Drimys, Empetrum, Gunnera, Myrteola, Pernettya, and Ugni.
On Robinson Crusoe Island, grasslands are common from 0 to 100 meters (0 to 328 feet). Introduced shrubs grow from 100 to 300 meters (328 to 984 feet). Tall forests are found from 300 to 500 meters (984 to 1,640 feet). Mountain forests are from 500 to 700 meters (1,640 to 2,296 feet). These forests have dense trees like Cuminia fernandezia, Fagara, and Rhaphithamnus venustus. Tree fern forests grow from 700 to 750 meters (2,296 to 2,460 feet). Above 750 meters, there are brushwood forests. Santa Clara Island is mostly covered with grassland.
One of the biggest threats to the native plants is the Juan Fernández Goat. These goats were originally farm animals left by early explorers. They became wild and now act like wild goats. CONAF (the Chilean forest service) works to control these and other harmful animals. These include mice, rats, true thrushes, sparrows, and feral cats.
Three unique tree species are common in the mountain forests. Drimys confertifolia grows on both main islands. Myrceugenia fernandeziana is on Robinson Crusoe. M. schulzei is on Alexander Selkirk. Special tree fern species like Dicksonia (D. berteriana on Robinson Crusoe and D. externa on Alexander Selkirk) and Thyrsopteris (T. elegans) are also common. A unique type of sandalwood, Santalum fernandezianum, was cut down too much for its nice-smelling wood. It hasn't been seen since 1908 and is now thought to be extinct. The Chonta palm (Juania australis) is also in danger.
Amazing Animals of the Islands (Fauna)
The Juan Fernández Archipelago has very few types of animals. There are no native land mammals, reptiles, or amphibians. But 17 types of land and sea birds breed on the islands. The islands have three bird species found nowhere else. They also have two unique bird subspecies. Humans brought animals like rats and goats to the islands.
Robinson Crusoe Island is home to a unique and endangered hummingbird. It's called the Juan Fernández firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis). This large hummingbird is about 11 cm (4.3 inches) long. Scientists think there are only about 500 of them left. The other unique bird species are the Juan Fernández tit-tyrant (Anairetes fernandezianus) on Robinson Crusoe Island. Also, the Masafuera rayadito (Aphrastura masafuerae) lives on Alejandro Selkirk Island.
The islands are the only known breeding places for two types of petrel birds. These are Stejneger's Petrel (Pterodroma longirostris) and the Juan Fernandez Petrel (Pterodroma externa). Both are considered vulnerable. The Juan Fernandez Islands might also be home to a third petrel species. This is De Filippi's Petrel (Pterodroma defilippiana). Its only other known breeding grounds are on the Desventuradas Islands.
The Magellanic penguin also breeds on Robinson Crusoe Island. The unique Juan Fernandez spiny lobster lives in the ocean waters around the islands. It doesn't have claws. The Juan Fernández fur seal (Arctocephalus philippii) also lives on the islands. This species was almost wiped out between the 1500s and 1800s. But it was found again in 1965. A count in 1970 found about 750 fur seals there. Today, their total population is in the tens of thousands. Only two were seen on the Desventuradas Islands, about 780 km (485 miles) to the north. The real population on the Desventuradas might be higher. This is because the seals tend to hide in sea caves. Their population seems to be growing by 16–17 percent each year.
- Juan Fernandez fauna and sea life
-
Juan Fernández Reef
-
Juan Fernández Wild Goat
-
Juan Fernández Firecrown
-
Juan Fernández Fur Seal
How to Get to the Park
Since the park is on islands, you can only get there by air or by sea.
- By air: Local airlines like LASSA and ATA fly weekly. The flight from Santiago takes about 2.5 hours.
- By sea: A Chilean Navy ship travels to the islands in December and February. It goes only sometimes during the rest of the year. The trip from Valparaíso takes about one and a half days.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Archipiélago de Juan Fernández para niños
