The day began with an outing to Chile’s Karukinka Natural Park. Established in 2004, this park is 2,720 km2 and offers a diverse array of habitats and wildlife. Most significant may be the small but stable breeding population of southern elephant seals, the breeding colony of black-browed albatross, and bird species such as the Andean condor. We were very fortunate to have Karukinka Park Coordinator Melissa Carmody traveling with us to share her experience and insight on management and conservation issues associated with this nascent gem in the Chilean Park System.
The afternoon brought us to Alberto de Agostini National Park. At nearly 1.5 million hectares, De Agostini, in conjunction with Cabo de Hornos National Park, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Spending time ashore in both these magnificent and rarely visited locations made for a very special experience.
