Nonguén National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nonguén National Park |
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IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
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| Location | Bío Bío Region, Chile |
| Nearest city | Concepción |
| Area | 30.37 km2 (11.73 sq mi) |
| Designation | National Park |
| Designated | 2021 |
| Governing body | Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF) |
Nonguén National Park is a special protected area in central Chile. It is found in the Bío Bío Region, southeast of the city of Concepción. This beautiful park helps protect important natural spaces.
It was first made a national reserve in 2010. Later, in 2021, it became a national park. This means it has a higher level of protection. The park covers an area of about 30.37 square kilometers. That's like protecting over 3,000 football fields!
Contents
Plants and Animals of Nonguén
Nonguén National Park is very important for nature. It protects one of the biggest remaining parts of the Concepción deciduous forest. This is a special type of forest found only in the Chilean Coast Range.
Trees and Plants
Many different trees grow here. The Nothofagus obliqua tree is very common. It is a broadleaf tree that loses its leaves in the fall.
Other trees found in the park include:
- Cryptocarya alba
- Lithraea caustica
- Persea lingue
These trees are evergreen, meaning they keep their leaves all year. They are typical of Chile's Mediterranean climate forests.
You can also find trees that like humid, wet areas, similar to the Valdivian forests. These include:
- Gevuina avellana
- Aextoxicon punctatum
- Weinmannia trichosperma
In the park's ravines, where it's often damp, you'll see moisture-loving evergreens. Some examples are:
- Nothofagus dombeyi
- Laurelia sempervirens
- Podocarpus salignus
- Amomyrtus luma
Rare and Protected Plants
The park is home to many plants that need protection. Some are very rare and are considered Endangered species. These include:
- The Pitavia punctata tree
- The Berberis negeriana shrub
Other plants are also important to protect. They are listed as near-threatened or vulnerable species. This means they could become endangered if not cared for. Some of these plants are:
- Adiantum chilense
- Blechnum hastatum
- Citronella mucronata
- Lophosoria quadripinnata
- Clinopodium multiflorum
- Asplenium dareoides
- Parablechnum cordatum
- Persea lingue
- Hypolepis poeppigii
Birds of the Park
Nonguén National Park is a great place for birdwatching! About 68 different kinds of birds have been seen here. Some of the interesting birds you might spot include:
- The Chilean pigeon (Patagioenas araucana)
- The bicolored hawk (Accipiter bicolor)
- The white-throated hawk (Buteo albigula)
- The stripe-backed bittern (Ixobrychus involucris)
Reptiles and Amphibians
The park is also home to many reptiles and amphibians. These animals are an important part of the park's ecosystem.
Native reptiles found here include several types of lizards and snakes:
- Pristidactylus torquatus
- Galvarinus chilensis
- Philodryas chamissonis
- Liolaemus cyanogaster
- Liolaemus chiliensis
- Liolaemus lemniscatus
- Liolaemus pictus
- Liolaemus tenuis
The park's native amphibians, which are animals that live both in water and on land, include:
- Caudiverbera caudiverbera (a type of frog)
- Eupsophus roseus
- Batrachyla taeniata
- Pleurodema thaul
- Batrachyla leptopus
See also
In Spanish: Parque Nacional Nonguén para niños
