Wildlife of Chile

Until 1984, the conservation actions of creation and management of protected areas was with the Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG), a government body.

A centralized system for preservation of the biodiversity of Chile was, however, created in 1984 only, under the Decree Law 18,362 which specified the creation of protected areas as "the continuity of evolutionary processes, animal migrations, genetic flow patterns and the regulation of the environment".

[4] While the laws have provided protection to reptiles and amphibians, animals with fur cover and game species of both birds and mammals are exploited to a reasonable level.

The Important Bird Areas (IBA) cover the "cliffs of Arica, the bays of Coquimbo, Mejillones, the mouths of Biobío and Maipu rivers, the Alejandro Selkirk islands, Choros, Damas, Punta de Choros, and Parque Nacional Cabo de Hornos.

In the high plateau area of northern Chile, the most common flora are llareta and grasses of ichu and tola varieties.

In the semiarid region of central Chile, cacti, espino and algarrobo hardwood, and Adesmia shrubs are the notable flora.

The vegetation types on the western slopes of the Andes are formed of thick forests of monkey puzzle tree (Chile pine).

South of this area, the dominant vegetation consists of Antarctic beech, the Chilean cedar, and the giant alerce (one specimen in southern Chile was reported to be 3000 years old and the "second largest living organism in the world"[9][10]).

In Chilean Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego's main island, due to weather conditions only dwarf varieties of southern beech and hard grasses are found.

Marine mammals (such as whales, otters, sea lions, dolphins) and birds are quite easily seen along the long coastline in the Pacific Ocean to the west of the country.

[15] Notable mammal species include guanacos (a form of the wild llama), feral minks, armadillos, culpeo (fox), and opossums.

Species reported in Southern Chile are pudú (world's smallest deer), and the opossum-like monito del monte, which is a living fossil.

[10] The Patagonian puma, called mountain lion or cougar in North America, is found throughout Chile and its population (once hunted indiscriminately) has been helped by protection provided by the government.

[19] The marine molluscs of Chile number 1070 species, including gastropods such as limpets, snails and sea slugs; bivalves such as clams, oysters, mussels and scallops; and cephalopods such as octopuses, squids and cuttlefish.

[21] Conservation of wildlife is achieved through protected areas set up and managed by both the government organizations such as the SNAPPE and its implementation wing the CONAF, and also through private initiatives.