Los Glaciares National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Los Glaciares) is a protected area managed by the government in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.

The park covers an area of 726,927 hectares (7,269.27 square kilometers; 2,806.68 square miles), making it the largest national park in the country. It was created on May 11, 1937, and includes a variety of plant and animal life from the Magellanic subpolar forest and the west Patagonian steppe, which are well preserved. In 1981, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site.

The name of the park comes from the large ice cap in the Andes Mountains, which is the biggest ice cap outside of Antarctica, Greenland, and Iceland. This ice cap feeds 47 large glaciers, and 13 of these glaciers flow toward the Pacific Ocean. In other parts of the world, glaciers usually begin at least 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level. However, because the ice cap is so large, the glaciers in this park start at only 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) above sea level and extend down to 200 meters (660 feet). Los Glaciares National Park is located near Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.

Geography

Los Glaciares has 30% covered by ice and can be divided into two parts, each connected to one of two large, long lakes partly within the park. Lake Argentino, the largest lake in Argentina at 1,466 km² (566 sq mi), is located in the southern part. Lake Viedma, 1,100 km² (420 sq mi), is in the northern part. Both lakes feed the Santa Cruz River, which flows toward Puerto Santa Cruz on the Atlantic Ocean. Between the two halves is a region without lakes called Zona Centro, which is not open to tourists.

The northern section includes part of Lake Viedma, the Viedma Glacier, smaller glaciers, and several mountains popular with climbers and hikers, such as Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.

The southern section includes major glaciers that flow into Lake Argentino, such as Perito Moreno Glacier, Upsala Glacier, and Spegazzini Glacier. Smaller glaciers are also present. Tour boats travel between icebergs to visit Onelli Bay and the hard-to-reach Spegazzini and Upsala Glaciers. Perito Moreno Glacier can be reached by land.

Climate

The park has a cool and moist temperate climate. Average temperatures range from 0.6 °C (33.1 °F) in winter to 13.4 °C (56.1 °F) in summer. However, at higher altitudes, the average yearly temperature can be about −3 °C (26.6 °F). The park gets an average yearly rainfall of 500 mm (20 in) in the west and 900 mm (35 in) in the east. This rain happens evenly throughout the year. Snow often falls during the colder months.

Ecology

The mountains capture most of the moisture from the Pacific Ocean, allowing only cold air (with an average yearly temperature of 7.5 °C (45.5 °F)) to pass through. This creates the dry Patagonian steppe on the Argentine side of the mountain range. This area is home to animals such as rheas, guanacos, cougars, and South American gray foxes. The South American gray fox has been harmed by the spread of cattle farming and is now endangered. The guanaco, though not endangered, has experienced a significant drop in population due to large amounts of grazing by livestock across much of Patagonia. More than 100 bird species live in the area, including condors and eagles. Between the ice and the Patagonian steppe lies a fertile region of Magellanic subpolar forests, mainly made up of lenga and guindo trees, as well as ñire trees. These more suitable habitats also support huemul deer and torrent ducks.

Issues

Los Glaciares National Park has many problems related to tourism, overgrazing, and forest fires. Some areas of the park have too many animals eating the plants, which harms the land. These areas also have non-native animals and plants, such as cattle, European hares, and certain types of trout. Forest fires have caused serious damage to parts of the park, destroying or harming the environment.

Human use

Los Glaciares is an important place for visitors from around the world. Tours often begin in the city of El Calafate, which is near Lake Argentino but outside the park, where the park's office is located. Another starting point is El Chaltén village, which is in the northern part of the park, near the base of Mount Fitz Roy. Other places of interest within the park include Lago del Desierto and Lago Roca.

This area was also one of the filming locations for "Return of the Ice," the second episode of the speculative science documentary series The Future is Wild.