This site is dedicated to share and promote research and conservation projects at Guafo Island, Chiloe and the Northern Chilean Patagonia ecoregion
Guafo island is part of the Chiloé archipelago, located between the parallels 43° 52’ and 43° 69’ S and the meridians 74° 55’ and 74° 84’ W in the Pacific ocean. The Island is about 38 kilometers SW from Chiloé’s main island at the entrance of the Corcovado Gulf, in the Northern Patagonia. The island’s area is 214 square kilometers where you can find high mountains and cliffs, forests mainly characterized by Olivillos (Aextoxicon punctatum) and coigues (Notophagus dombeyi), valleys and sandy beaches.
The shores and costal waters of this Island serve as refuge, reproduction and feeding sites for many species of marine mammals and seabirds including, South American fur seals, South American sea lions, Sea otters, Humpback whales, Orcas, Magellanic penguins and Sooty shearwater among others.
Historically the island was known for its whaling activity. Between 1920 and the mid 60’s one of the main whale processing plants in the south Pacific was located at Samuel’s cove. Nowadays dozens of fishermen sail to the island whole year round to perform extractive activities of red seaweed (Gigartina radula) and sea urchins (Loxechinus albus).
The shores and costal waters of this Island serve as refuge, reproduction and feeding sites for many species of marine mammals and seabirds including, South American fur seals, South American sea lions, Sea otters, Humpback whales, Orcas, Magellanic penguins and Sooty shearwater among others.
Historically the island was known for its whaling activity. Between 1920 and the mid 60’s one of the main whale processing plants in the south Pacific was located at Samuel’s cove. Nowadays dozens of fishermen sail to the island whole year round to perform extractive activities of red seaweed (Gigartina radula) and sea urchins (Loxechinus albus).
