Wildlife Encounters in Región de Valparaíso
The upwelling of the Humbolt Current is essential to the Valparaiso region’s rich biodiversity. You can find a great variety of algae, invertebrates, fish, and marine mammals here. These waters are home to many nudibranchs, jellyfish, pyrosomes (sea unicorns), anemones, sponges, sea urchins, starfish, mollusks, crabs, and shrimp. Colorful coldwater corals, like gorgonians, anemones, and sponges, cover the rock walls. Divers may often encounter benthonic fish such as rollizos, lenguados, and castañetas, and the occasional ray and moonfish. Scuba diving in Chile at night is fantastic with octopuses, pintarrojas sharks, and mantis shrimp, along with amazing bioluminescent organisms. Marine mammal sightings include sea otters, sea lions, dolphins, and whales.