CHILE PUMA TOUR REPORT - 3-18 MARCH 2007

1

Larger Hairy Armadillo

Chaetophractus villosus

á         One seen & photographed by Lisa near Cascada Paine in Torres del Paine NP unfortunately eluded the rest of the group.

2

Brown Hare

Lepus europeaus

á         Common Torres del Paine.

á         Smaller numbers elsewhere in Southern Patagonia.

3

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

á         5+ south of Punta Arenas including melanistic individuals.

á         At least one on the drive from Punta Arenas to Torres del Paine.

4

Olivaceous Mouse

Akodon olivaceus

á         One seen well & photographed near Lago Grey.

-

Mouse sp?

á         Another mouse seen near Hosteria Las Torres has yet to be identified.

5

Coypu

Myocastor coypus

á         One Rio Butalcara, Chiloe.

6

Culpeo Fox

Lycalopex cupaeus

á         Singles Hotel Rio Serrano & between Porteria Serrano & Lago Grey in Torres del Paine.

7

Chilla

Pseudalopex griseus

á         Nomenclature based on Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals & Dogs. IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group

á         Common in Southern Patagonia & Torres del Paine. Minimum daily totals of 1, 5, 11, 3, 2, 6 & 4 including 5 together at Mirador de Nordenskjold in Torres del Paine.

8

Southern River Otter

Lontra provocax

á         Two seen very well, although one only briefly, Rio Butalcara, Chiloe. Seen at the 11^th hour less than 400m from the quay at Chepu.

9

Marine Otter

Lontra felina

á         Superb views of 6-8 including a female with a cub at close range from the boat trip around the penguin colony at Punihuil

10

Patagonian Skunk

Conepatus humboldtii

á         One north of Punta Arenas

á         One west of Porteria Serrano in Torres del Paine

á         One near Hosteria Las Torres in Torres del Paine

á         One near Cascada Paine in Torres del Paine

á         Two around Cerro Guido including one having an altercation with a dog at the lodge.

á         4+ Seno Skyring

-

Cat sp

A small cat seen briefly by Lisa, Regina & Richard as we returned to Hosteria Las Torres on day 6 may have been a young GeoffroyÕs Cat as the staff at the lodge claim that there are no domestic cats in the area but the views were inconclusive.

11

Puma

Puma concolor

Another astonishing series of sightings in Torres del Paine even exceeding last yearÕs sightings.

á         Day 3 Ð a female with three small cubs found by Roberto near Laguna Guanaco quickly disappeared but the cubs were relocated & watched for over 40 minutes, initially at close range down to 30 metres on the deck & climbing trees. Roberto also briefly saw a 4^th cub. Three of the cubs then walked off over a nearby ridge presumably leaving the female & 4^th cub behind in a thicket near the laguna.

á         Day 4 Ð amazingly the female & three cubs were relocated by Jose on a freshly dead Guanaco close to Lago Sarmiento & approximately a kilometre from the previous dayÕs sighting. The female seemed totally unconcerned as we watched the three cubs playing on the kill for over an hour at c.200 metres range before unfortunately having to leave to return to the vehicle in daylight.

á         Day 4 Ð returning to Hosteria Las Torres a young Puma crossed the road in front of the minibus & climbed a nearby ridge where we watched it in the spotlight.

á         Day 5 Ð returning from an early morning visit to the Laguna Azul loop Nick spotted a large individual (presumably a male) along a ridge & although it unfortunately disappeared rather too quickly everyone was treated to a great stereotypic view of a Puma on a rocky ridge.

á         Day 5 Ð we returned to the kill in the late afternoon & after a 30 minute wait were treated to fantastic views of the female & four cubs on the kill. The female was initially unaware of our presence & we were able to watch her ripping the carcass apart to provide access to the meat for the cubs. Interestingly although three of the cubs constantly interacted with each other one of the cubs rarely joined in & stayed hidden for much of the time. Once she realised that we were there the female was again watchful but unconcerned by our presence even suckling the cubs as we watched her. After 90 minutes the female & cubs moved off into a nearby thicket & we left to return to the vehicle after a truly exhilarating experience.

á         In addition to the above sightings we found a large amount of Pumas scat elsewhere in the park particularly east of Laguna Amarga.

á         Another dead Guanaco (possibly another kill) was being scavenged by 30+ Andean Condors near Porteria Amarga.

12

Southern Sea Lion

Otaria flavescens

á         20+ Quellon pelagic

á         Singles Cucao & Rio Butalcara.

á         20+ Chacao-Pargua ferry

13

PealeÕs Dolphin

Lagenorhynchus australis

á         Surprisingly missed on the first evening & following morning around Punta Arenas but 4 groups totalling 20+ south of Punta Arenas on day 8 with fantastic views close inshore.

á         2+ dolphin sp near Punta Arenas on day 2, & 5+ dolphin sp on the Quellon pelagic were probably also this species.

14

Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

á         Unfortunately missing from Golfo Corcovado this year but 20+ were seen distantly from the whale viewpoint south of Punihuil. Most were simply blows with the whales themselves rarely visible. We hope to be able to arrange boat trips out to look for them next year.

15

Guanaco

Lama guanicoe

á         100s daily in Torres del Paine

á         One or two small groups elsewhere in Southern Patagonia.

16

South Andean Deer (Huemel)

Hippocamelus bisulcus

á         A female at close range near Lago Grey, Torres del Paine

17

(Southern) Pudu

Pudu pudu

á         Surprisingly easy this year seen well on all three night drives 1, 4 & 1 with another seen briefly during the day at Parque Tepuhueico.

No

Species

Scientific name

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

1

White-tufted Grebe

Rollandia rolland

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

2

Silvery Grebe

Podiceps occipitalis

X

X

X

X

3

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

X

X

4

Great Grebe

Podiceps major

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

5

Giant Petrel sp

Macronectes giganteus

X

X

X

X

6

Black-browed Albatross

Thalassarche melanophris

X

X

7

Pink-footed Shearwater

Puffinus creatopus

X

8

Sooty Shearwater

Puffinus griseus

X

No

Species

Scientific name

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

9

White-chinned Petrel

Procellaria aequinoctialis

X

10

Storm-Petrel sp

Oceanites oceanicus

KR

11

Diving-Petrel sp

Pelecanoides magellani

X

X

12

Humboldt Penguin

Spheniscus humboldti

X

13

Magellanic Penguin

Spheniscus magellanicus

X

X

X

14

Peruvian Pelican

Pelecanus thagus