Into The Wild In Chile

Llamas…

While we photographed them from Chile’s high desert to the foothills of Patagonia I was never sure which species each was. Chile is home to four distinct camelid species, comprising both domesticated and wild species. Regardless, they are all adapted to this countries harsh environment. These include the domesticated Llama and Alpaca (many ave returned to the wild), along with their never domesticated ancestors, the Guanaco and the Vicuña, mostly found in northern Chile’s Atacama Dessert and Patagonia.

Condors

The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is a massive South American bird with a wingspan of up to 12 feet and weighing up to 33 lbs, making it the world’s largest flying bird. Found along the Andes mountains and the Atacama desert, these birds are critical to the ecosystem by consuming carrion. They are considered near-threatened due to habitat loss.

Flamingos

Several species of flamingos are common in Chile, particularly the Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis), notable for their striking pale pink plumage and significant size, reaching heights of over four feet. This species is the largest and most prevalent among flamingos in the region, often found in the Atacama Desert in various shallow brackish lakes and lagoons feeding on a brine shrimp common in Chile (primarily Artemia franciscana). these brine shrimp thrive hypersaline lagoons and salt pans, such as those in the Atacama Desert. These brine shrimp are extremophile micro-crustaceans that thrive in high-salt environments, serving as a critical food source for flamingos.