Llanos de Challe National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Llanos de Challe National Park |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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 Llanos de Challe National Park
Location in Chile
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| Location | Atacama Region, Chile |
| Nearest city | Huasco |
| Governing body | Corporación Nacional Forestal |
Llanos de Challe National Park is a special place found along the Pacific coast in the Atacama Region of Chile. This park is known for its unique environment. Its mountains get moisture from something called the Camanchaca. This is a thick fog or mist that rolls in from the ocean.
The Camanchaca creates a special ecosystem known as lomas, which means "hills" in Spanish. These lomas are green areas in the middle of the desert. Llanos de Challe is one of the southernmost places where you can find these lomas. They are scattered along the coastal desert from northern Chile all the way to northern Peru. The highest point in the park is Cerro Negro, which stands at 950 meters (about 3,117 feet) tall.
Contents
Discovering Llanos de Challe National Park
Llanos de Challe National Park was created to protect its amazing plants and animals. It's a great example of how life can thrive even in a desert, thanks to the ocean fog.
A Unique Desert Ecosystem
The park's coastal desert is a very delicate place. It is home to many rare and beautiful plant species. One of the most famous is the Leontochir ovallei. This plant is also known as Garra de León, which means "Lion's Claw". It is a threatened species, meaning it needs protection to survive. You can also find many types of cactus growing throughout the park.
The Amazing Desert Bloom
Llanos de Challe National Park is one of the best places to see a natural wonder called the desierto florido, or "desert bloom". This happens when a lot of rain falls in the desert, usually because of a weather event called El Niño-Southern Oscillation. After the rain, the desert floor bursts into a carpet of colorful flowers. It's a truly spectacular sight that doesn't happen every year.
Wildlife in the Park
The park is also home to many animals. It has the largest group of guanacos in the entire Atacama Region. Guanacos are wild relatives of llamas. They are well-adapted to living in this dry environment.
The park's coastline has beautiful white sand beaches that are untouched by development. There is also a coastal wetland area. This wetland is a safe place for many water birds. You can spot common moorhens, red-gartered coots, black-necked swans, and even flamingos here. These birds rely on the wetland for food and shelter.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Llanos de Challe para niños
