Park Creation
Founded: January 7, 2005
Area: 988,446 acres
Donated area: 209,049 acres
Ecosystem: Montane evergreen forest, Puyuhuapi evergreen forest, and deciduous alpine scrub
Estimated carbon sequestration: 246.18 million metric tons
Location: Los Lagos Region
The sixth largest national park in Chile, Corcovado features more than 980,000 acres of pristine forests, fjords, rivers, and lakes. Many of its more than 80 lakes are surrounded by ancient forests, where pumas peek out from the shadows. The Corcovado and Tic Toc Rivers run into its brackish estuaries, where the waters merge into the Corcovado Bay, creating a rich habitat for wildlife. The park’s coasts are thick with shorebird colonies, where penguins also hop from rock to rock. Marine mammals, including seals and sea lions, make their home in the bay, which is also a vital natural nursery for blue whales, the largest animals on Earth.
History
In 1994, with the support of philanthropist Peter Buckley, we acquired more than 207,000 acres along the southern coast of Chaitén for conservation. During the administration of President Ricardo Lagos, this property was donated to the Chilean state, and––combined with adjacent public lands––was transformed into a national park in January 2005. The park was later expanded as part of an agreement with the Chilean government, under President Michelle Bachelet in 2018.
In 2014, the neighboring coastal areas became one of the country’s first protected marine areas when Tic Toc Marine Park was created by then-President Sebastián Piñera. This achievement in conservation came after more than a decade of work by Carlos Cuevas, the Melimoyu Foundation, and other Chilean conservationists.
Learn more about the history of this park in the Corcovado National Park book.
Ecological Value
Impenetrable forests cover a large part of this park’s surface. Tree species include canelo, mañío, lenga, coigüe, ñirre, and ciprés de las guaitecas (pilgerodendron). In some areas, you can also find alerces (Fitzroya).
The park is home to various endangered species, including the pudú deer, the Chiloé fox, the güiña cat, the huillín (southern river otter), the monito del monte (colocolo opossum), and the puma. Large colonies of seabirds live in the estuaries and long beaches that overlook the Corcovado Gulf and the Tic Toc Bay, where you can also find magellanic penguins. Seals and sea lions stand out amongst the marine mammals, and cetaceans are a constant presence, including blue, humpback, pilot, and sperm whales.
