
Chile Creates Largest Marine Reserve in the Americas
@CNTraveler
The newly protected waters around the Desventuradas Islands contain many marine species found nowhere else on Earth.
Parque Pingüino Rey is on Bahía Inútil in Tierra del Fuego, thanks to a conservation initiative for the only colony of king penguins in Latin America. This place is part of an important project whose objective is to protect the natural and cultural patrimony of the area.
The area is reached via the city of Punta Arenas and then crossing over to Tierra del Fuego, sailing on the Strait of Magellan. You will be amazed by its beauty, adorned by native flora and fauna.
In 2011, Parque Pingüino Rey opened to the public. Apart from tourism, conservation projects and research are developed.
The park has well defined trails and viewpoints strategically placed so as not to disturb the species. Silence must be maintained and a reasonable distance from the animals respected, in order to not affect the penguins negatively. As a measure of protection, renewable energy has been installed in order to minimize the impact on the environment.
The king penguin is a migratory bird that moves from one place to another in search of food, and ever since the creation of the park, the bird population has continued to increase making the park one of the most attractive places in Tierra del Fuego.
The penguins are highly attractive for photography lovers. These birds are characteristically colored grey from head to tail, with white, yellow and orange tones on their fronts as they age. Parque Pingüino Rey also protects other bird species who come to feed and rest in one of the most remote places on the planet.