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LIHUEL CALEL NATIONAL
PARK
Province of La Pampa
This park
was created in m1977 to protect the outcrop of hills and the unique historical,
cultural and natural resources found there
It is in the south centre of the province of La Pampa and covers an area
of 9901 ha but there is a possibility that it be enlarged northwards to
include a part of the Levalle salt pan, thus including a series of life
forms at present rare or missing from the park.
NATURAL ASPECTS
The outcrop of hills known
as Lihue Calel reaches a maximum elevation of 589m above sea level. The
north-facing slopes are gentle while those facing south are abrupt.
The park is in the monte biome with its characteristic flora with creosote
bush and small patches of caldén trees, a species of Prosopis.
Other plants include the chilladora, and the incienso as well as the piquillín
(Condalia microphila). At the foot of the hills there are seeps where
the higher humidity allow for the growth of the caldén woods with
some sombra de toro (Jodina rhombifolia) with its typically kite-shaped
leaves with a sharp thorn at each corner. These patches are more typical
of the Espinal biome here mere islets in a sea of monte. At the same time
the outcrop itself is a singular island in a flat, dry plain. There are
three species of plant endemic to the park: two yellow daisy composites
and a legume.
Even in the bare granite of the hills themselves there is a varied flora
of ferns growing out of the cracks in the rocks, air plants on the vertical
rock faces and several cacti - one a creeping form of candelabra with
upturned tips, something akin to the prickly pear and the "traicionera"
with long silvery daggers which are remarkably tenacious and hard to throw
off. Lichens on the rocks are yellow, orange or black.
There is a rich fauna with plains viscachas, the tuco-tuco underground
rodent, cavies, armadillos. The large herbivores are here represented
by the guanaco and the mara while the predators include the puma which
finds refuge in the park from its habitual persecution by cattlemen in
the region.
The patches of caldén at the foot of the hills, such as that close
to the camping and administrative area, are good places to watch for some
of the specialities of the area: in old viscacha burrows the red species
of Tupinambis tegu lizard growing to four feet in length, flocks of the
elegant crested tinamou wandering across the clearings, and it is here
that one could encounter the local grey fox or the grisson. In the sparse
brushland nearby the crested gallito shoots from cover to cover with tail
erect while in the trees the yellow cardinal and the spot-winged falconet
are to be seen. The first of these is much sought for the cage-bird trade
and has vanished over most of its range. When the beans on the caldén
ripen there is an invasion of the burrowing parrot to feed on the seeds
of this tree.
CULTURAL ASPECTS
Archaeological sites are evidence
of the occupation of the area by prehistoric peoples who were drawn here
by the "oasis" situation offered by the hills. The Valle de
las Pinturas (valley of paintings) is an exhibition of the more recent
rock paintings of the region. They contain geometrical designs in red
and black and date as far back as 2000 years.. The Quebrada de Namuncurá
gets its name from the site used by the last chief of the pampean confederation
of indian tribes before his surrender in 1885. Other historical remains
are the stone house (now the visitors' centre), from the early settlers'
period shortly after the campaigns to eliminate the indians from the region.
At the end of the XIXth century settlers here grew crops and herded cattle
and sheep, or dug copper out of the nearby mines.
HOW TO GET
THERE
Route 152 passes
the entrance to the park. General Acha is 120 km north along this road,
Santa Rosa, the provincial capital, 240. The nearest locality to the park
is the small village of Puelches, some 30 km south along the road.
OF INTEREST
TO THE VISITOR
There is a campsite with bathrooms
near the park's administration.
Nature trails through the Namuncurá valley where the HQ are sited
are often guided by an interpretative ranger.
One can walk up the gentle slope of the hills to Cerro de la Sociedad
Científica Argentina, or elsewhere in the little range.
There are two interpreted trails to learn about different aspects of the
park:
* El Huitru trail starts at the beginning of the ascent to C° de la
Sociedad and covers the vegetational aspects and fauna;
* Valle de las Pinturas trail explains the uses of the area by the indigenous
people and ends at a rock shelter where there are paintings.
One can also visit the ruins of the old Santa María estancia house
which belonged to the family of Luis Gallardo till 1964 when the land
was expropriated by the province which originally set the area aside for
tourism but later ceded it to National Parks.
Thanks to APN - Administración
de Parques Nacionales
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