Lago Puelo National Park

The park was established as part of the Argentina national parks system in 1971. It was established to protect the Valdivian rain forest and its flora and fauna. The park covers an area of 27,600 hectares, much of it the lake which fills a valley surrounded by sheer cliffs and sharply rising mountains of the surrounding Andean peaks. Some of the peaks are covered year round by snow and ice. The valley and lake were formed by glacial action and glacier sediments are assumed to contribute the deep indigo blue color of the lake. Animals living within the park include the puma, several species of smaller wild cat, several species of deer, and foxes. One of the most noteworthy animals in the park is the pudu, the world's smallest species of deer and an animal that is considered threatened. The pudu who live in this part of the world are similar to the pudu of northern South America (who live in a narrow strip of the Andes between Peru and Colombia. The two types of pudu are different species. The pudu stands about 40 cm high with a length of about 80 cm -- about the size of a terrier. Pupu have brown fur with rounded ears. The park is also home to the guanaco (a type of llama) and the huemel (or South Andean deer), Larger than the pudu, it is a favorite prey of pumas and has suffered a loss of suitable vegetation causing its numbers to drop precipitously. The huemel is designated as an endangered species....