Kawésqar National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kawésqar National Park |
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| Alacalufes National Reserve | |
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IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
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Seno Ballenas
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 Kawésqar National Park
Location in Chile
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| Location | from Canal Concepción to Chilean Sea through Strait of Magellan, Chile |
| Area | 7,023,542 acres |
| Established | July 22, 1969 |
| Visitors | 1,742 (in 2016) |
| Governing body | Corporación Nacional Forestal |
Kawésqar National Park (Spanish: Parque nacional Kawésqar) is a huge natural area in Chile. It used to be called the Alacalufes National Reserve. This park is the second largest national park in Chile. It is also one of the biggest parks in the entire world!
The park covers an amazing 7,023,542 acres. You can find it between Canal Concepción and the wide open Pacific Ocean. It stretches across both sides of the famous Strait of Magellan in southern Chile. The park's land is part of two provinces: Magallanes Province and Última Esperanza Province.
Contents
Discovering Kawésqar National Park
This amazing park has different types of weather. In some parts, it's quite humid and mildly cold. Other areas have a special "Isothermal tundra" climate. This means the temperature stays pretty much the same all year.
Weather and Rainfall
The average temperature in the park is around 7.2 degrees Celsius (45 degrees Fahrenheit). In the tundra areas, it's a bit cooler, about 6.5 degrees Celsius (43.7 degrees Fahrenheit). It rains a lot here, too! The park can get up to 2,450 millimeters (about 96 inches) of rain each year.
Landscape and Ecosystems
The park's landscape is truly unique. It is made up of many western archipelagos. These are groups of islands. You will see low, mountain-like islands and small islets. The area is also filled with many narrow channels and deep fjords. A fjord is a long, narrow sea inlet with steep sides.
The main type of forest in the park is the Magellanic rainforest. This is a special kind of forest that grows in cool, wet climates. It is full of unique plants and trees.
Wildlife of the Park
Kawésqar National Park is home to many animals. About 24 different kinds of mammals live here. These include various land animals. The nearby national reserve is also a safe place for many marine species. These are animals that live in the ocean. You might see different types of sea creatures in the waters around the park.
The Kawésqar People
The park is named in honor of the Kawésqar people. They are an indigenous group who have lived in this region for a very long time. They arrived here about seven thousand years ago. The Kawésqar people were nomads. This means they did not stay in one place. They moved around to find food. They were hunter-gatherers, finding their food from nature.
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