La castorea

An easy walk in the late afternoon to come and see the many beavers that have colonized the plain.

For the record, 20 beavers were introduced in the 1940s on Tierra del Fuego Island. The objective was to exploit their skins. Like all similar attempts it was a failure and the beavers became a plague on the region. But it would still be a shame to miss the opportunity to observe these fascinating animals.

Beavers are nocturnal animals. You will be able to see them with more luck between 6 and 9 o’clock in the morning. If you are patient, you will see the animal swimming in its element. If you are very lucky you will see one on land. First you have to find an active beaver that can be recognized by the water level at the dam. Then you just have to wait patiently. To the south of the clearing you can see a large beaver that has emptied itself and shows the building heights. Be careful not to venture into the bottom of the beavers even if they seem dry, the ground is very loose.

And no, beavers do not raise fish in their water reservoir, they are herbivores, they cut down trees and eat their leaves, they also bring them into the water to build up a food stock and build their dam.

Leaving Puerto Williams, go up Arturo Prat Street and enter the dirt track. Follow it for 300m until you see on your right a big tree with a white marker, then take the path on the left in the clearing. The path goes down and along the river up to a destroyed bridge that you have to cross. Follow the track and take at the end to the right. Continue on this track, follow on your right the Windhond path indicated by an arrow. There is then no fork in the road for 2.5km until you leave the forest and arrive.

You must always inform people at your accommodation where you are going to walk.