Guides

The Millennium Institute SECOS offers you a collection of informational and identification guides designed to bring you closer to the fascinating diversity of marine animals that inhabit Chile’s coasts. Our goal is to highlight the richness of these ecosystems and emphasize the importance of species facing conservation challenges. From the birds that populate our coastal wetlands to the majestic sea turtles that roam our waters, and the diverse life thriving in Marine Refuges, these guides are a gateway to understanding and appreciating our natural heritage. Each publication is the result of a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach, combining SECOS’s scientific research with local knowledge and art, aiming to foster dialogue among different ways of knowing.

Bird field guide of Tubul-Raqui wetland

Artistic and scientific research at the institute serves as a bridge and a generator of knowledge, aiming to foster dialogue between science, local knowledge and wisdom, collective memory, and imaginaries of possible futures. This guide, co-designed by illustrator Alonso Salazar, SECOS researchers, and teachers and students from the Brisas del Mar School in Tubul, is part of the outreach project Aulas Costeras, which seeks to co-create educational materials in response to the needs and aspirations of six educational communities in Chilean coast.

Language: Spanish

Authorship: Alonso Salazar, Fernanda Oyarzún y Fernando Mejías. Special thanks to Juan Eduardo Machuca Montero, Heraldo Norambuena, Jorge Ruiz, the citizen science unit and the Antrhopocene Studies Lab for collaborating in this guide. Scientific species sourced at ebird.org (November, 2024).

Littoral bony fishes of continental Chile

As part of the TNC-Oceanósfera-SECOS collaboration, we present the “Littoral bony fishes of continental Chile” guide. Bony fish are one of the most diverse groups of vertebrate animals on the planet. Chile is home to more than 1,300 species of marine fish, 1,200 of which are bony fish, characterized by their rigid bone skeletons. Discover 48 species of bony marine fish that you can find along the coast of continental Chile. Explore the diversity of fish, from conger eels and moray eels to wrasses, trumpeters, and flounders, among many others. Learn about the importance of each species, their diet, and their conservation needs. Share your knowledge and help us protect ocean life.

Language: Spanish and English.

Authorship: Natalio Godoy, Felipe Torres Cañete, Florencia Vial, Marcelo Antillanca, Carolina J. Zagal, Stefan Gelcich, Andrés Smith (authors), Verónica Ortiz (illustrations), Isabel Guerrero S. (design).

Marine Refuges of Chile

Marine Refuges are ocean areas located along the coast of Chile, established for the conservation and restoration of marine life. They are situated within management areas that are collectively administered by members of artisanal fishing unions. Fishermen and fisherwomen voluntarily lead these initiatives, which include biodiversity monitoring, environmental education, and the implementation of measures against poaching and illegal fishing within the refuge.

Since 2016, in partnership with the Fundación Capital Azul, fishing unions have established a network of five Marine Refuges. These are located along the central coast of Chile, in the Valparaíso Region. From north to south, they are: La Ballena-La Polcura, Zapallar, Cachagua, Maitencillo, and Ventanas. A new Marine Refuge will soon be created in collaboration with the Huiro Indigenous Fishermen’s Association.

Explore these Marine Refuges and discover the birds, mammals, fish, invertebrates, and algae that inhabit them. Learn about 45 species of marine flora and fauna and why they are important. Help us protect and conserve these coastal areas and the marine life that calls them home.

Language: Spanish and English.

Authorship: Artisanal Fishers Organizations, Natalio Godoy Salinas, Felipe Torres Cañete, Florencia Vial Tupper, Carolina J. Zagal Roberts, Rodrigo Sánchez Grez, Tomás Moggia Cárdenas, Paulina Martínez Marín, Stefan Gelcich Crossley (authors), Claudia Durán Mateluna (illustrations), Jorge Ruiz T. (ilustraciones pelícano, raya costera), Isabel Guerrero S. (diseño).

Sea turtles of Chile

Five of the world’s seven sea turtle species inhabit Chile. They visit our Pacific Ocean during their migrations and to feed, ranging from the temperate waters of continental Chile to the clear, warm waters of Rapa Nui and the oceanic islands. The sea turtles found in Chile are: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). The hawksbill has only been reported in Rapa Nui.

Unfortunately, sea turtles are among the most threatened groups of animals in the world due to human activities such as bycatch in fishing gear (nets and hooks), pollution, and boat collisions. Get to know Chile’s sea turtles, learn why they are important, and find out what you can do to help protect them.

Language: Spanish and English.

Authorship: Carolina J. Zagal, Natalio Godoy, Felipe Torres Cañete, Florencia Vial, Carol Medrano (authors), Rodrigo Verdugo Tartakowsky (illustrations), Isabel Guerrero S. (design).

Los Vilos Marine Conservation and Education Center: Municipal Aquarium and Hatchery

The Marine Educational Center, Los Vilos Aquarium, was inaugurated in 2001 as part of an initiative by two marine biologists, Natalio Godoy Salinas and Stefan Gelcich Crossley, with the support of the Municipality of Los Vilos and the Los Pelambres Mining Foundation. Its goal was to showcase our incredible marine life—unique in the world—and raise awareness about the importance of caring for our ocean and marine species.

The Federation of Artisanal Fishers and Independent Shellfish Divers of the 3rd and 4th Regions (FEPEMACH) manages and maintains this beautiful space. Over time, they have carried out important work improving the facilities and building a hatchery—a breeding and research lab—to recover, manage, and conserve our marine resources.

Discover the wonders of our ocean, including fish, invertebrates, and seaweeds found here. Learn about 40 species of our marine flora and fauna and why they matter. Help us conserve and protect life in the oceans.

Language: Spanish and English.

Authorship: FEPEMACH, Natalio Godoy Salinas, Felipe Torres Cañete, Stefan Gelcich Crossley, Andrés Smith Toledo, Carolina J. Zagal (authors), Claudia Durán Mateluna (illustrations), Isabel Guerrero S. (design).