Laguna San Rafael National Park is a park located on the Pacific coast of southern Chile. The park is named for the San Rafael Lagoon formed by the retreat of the San Rafael Glacier. Created in 1959, it covers an area of 17420 sqkm and includes the Northern Patagonian Ice Field. A fjord more than 16 km long is one of the park's principal attractions.

History

Non-indigenous people first explored the area of Laguna San Rafael in the year 1675. The glacier of the same name was a land-terminating glacier during that time. It probably reached again the lagoon at some time between 1741 and 1766, and it has been a tidewater glacier since that date. The park was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1979.

Geography

The park comprises some of the higher Andes mountains of Patagonia, such as the Monte San Valentín, Cerro Arenales, Cerro Hyades and Cerro Pared Norte. This park contains a number of rivers. San Tadeo River is located in the Isthmus of Ofqui and flows into San Quintín Bay in the north part of the Gulf of Penas. Also there are various rivers bordering the park, such as the Baker River and the Exploradores River. Témpanos River (not really a river) connects San Rafael Lagoon with the Gulf Elefantes, the southern part of Moraleda Channel. Presidente Ríos Lake spans the border between the park and Las Guaitecas National Reserve.

Climate

Average annual rainfall at Cabo Raper (lat 46°50' S.), on the open coast of the Taitao Peninsula, is about 2000 mm. Going eastward, the amount of precipitation increases in the sheltered areas of the Chilean Inside Passage, being similar to that of Los Lagos Region. The average annual precipitation recorded between 1981 and 1985 at Laguna San Rafael weather station (lat 46°37' S.) was 4440 mm. At higher elevations, the precipitation increase is significant and is in the form of snow on the Northern Patagonian Ice Field, being recorded over 6000 mm of annual precipitation.

Biology

The park is a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Several species of birds find shelter in the park, including black-browed albatrosses, great grebes, black-necked swans and cormorants. Terrestrial and marine wildlife in this area also include South American gray fox, South Andean deer, Chilean dolphins, South American sea lions, marine otters, southern elephant seals, and so on. Baleen whales migrate into Gulf of Penas, and it is notable that the gulf is possibly a wintering/calving ground for the critically endangered population of Southern Right Whale.