Latest news with #RewildingChile
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Helicopter trip finds endangered mammals thriving on Chile peak. ‘Hopeful sign'
In a remote part of southern Chile, a helicopter took off and approached an even more remote mountaintop. Conservationists watched out its windows and, to their amazement, saw the endangered mammal they were looking for standing 'right there.' That was just the beginning. Cabo Froward sits at the 'southernmost point' of South America; it's a rugged and largely unexplored region slated to become a national park, Rewilding Chile said in a July 9 Instagram post. As part of this process, research teams have been conducting biodiversity surveys of the area. 'About a year ago, during a forest restoration expedition carried out by boat, we had an unexpected encounter,' Cristián Saucedo, the organization's wildlife director, told McClatchy News. On the coast stood a huemul deer. Huemul deer, also known as South Andean deer, are an 'elusive' and 'discreet' mammal species known to inhabit 'the mountainous regions of southern Chile and Argentina,' the organization said. Due to habitat loss, hunting and competition from invasive animals, the species has lost 'more than 99%' of its population and is endangered with only about 1,500 surviving deer. Conservationists had long suspected huemul deer might live in Cabo Froward, but the team's 2024 sighting sparked new efforts to find these animals, Saucedo said via email. Initial search efforts identified some promising mountain valleys but reaching these sites on foot was 'extremely difficult,' Saucedo said. 'That's when we turned to helicopters.' In February, two teams of conservationists used helicopters to reach the remote peaks then spent three days surveying the area. 'As we approached the very first ridge, several huemuls appeared — as if they had been waiting for us,' Saucedo said. 'It was surprising … to see a huemul right there,' Miguel Lopetegui, a park ranger with the Chilean Forestry Service who participated in the trek, said in the organization's Instagram video, according to translated captions. 'This was our welcome, which left us very excited and energized.' The team eventually saw about 10 huemul deer and realized they'd discovered a 'previously unknown' population thriving on the remote peak, the organization said. Conservationists described the new population as 'a hopeful sign' for the endangered species. 'Our hope is to find additional groups of huemuls in other nearby mountain ranges,' Saucedo said. The team set up dozens of trail cameras and is planning a follow-up helicopter expedition. They are also continuing other monitoring and surveying efforts at Cabo Froward.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Billionaire entrepreneur cements legacy with creation of a new national park: 'It feels like a tremendous responsibility'
Another new national park has been established in Chile thanks to the ongoing efforts of U.S. conservationist and philanthropist Kristine Tompkins and her organization, Tompkins Conservation, NPR reported. Tompkins first came to Chile in 1993 with her husband, the late Douglas Tompkins, co-founder of The North Face and Esprit clothing companies. In the intervening years, the couple established 15 other national parks in Chile and Argentina, including two marine parks. Combined, these sites offer the highest level of environmental protection available to 14.8 million acres of land and 30 million acres of ocean. The newest site sits at Cape Froward, the southernmost point of South America. It comprises 315,000 acres of freezing forest, with a view of the glaciers atop the Darwin mountain range. "We started off by acquiring land as and when it came onto the market," said Marcela Quiroz, director of strategic partnerships for Tompkins Conservation subsidiary Rewilding Chile, per NPR. "The first major purchase we made was nearly 94,000 hectares in 2021 which we bought from a local family. We want to keep working to complete this puzzle." The organization purchased this parcel of land and one other, then worked with the Chilean government to establish the new national park. The government accepted the parcel and added on federal land at each end to create a long corridor of uninterrupted nature. Conservation work like this is vital to the future of the planet. As more and more natural areas are cleared for farming, ranching, and industry, the forests that the world relies on for clean air and the removal of carbon air pollution are dwindling. With the old trees and diverse plants go a huge assortment of wildlife, from tiny bugs to the beautiful birds and larger animals — any of which could go extinct forever if enough habitat is lost. "It feels like a tremendous responsibility," said Carolina Morgado, executive director of Rewilding Chile, per NPR. "This goes way beyond creating national parks. It's about installing a vision about how we, as citizens, can get involved in protecting the land and its biodiversity. "And that, to me at least, is important." Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
