Parque Ecologico de Temaiken

Blog writen by Rick Kotz

The morning started out with a thorough gear check to see what we still needed in order to be fully prepared for our Patagonia expedition. It was great to see Mike passionately talking about all the different types of clothing, and it was clear to see that he had loads of experience in the field.

After preparing a list of what we still needed we set off to the Parque Ecologico de Temaiken. Temaiken is a ecological foundation which combines the wonders of the land and the ocean in a mixture of zoo and aquarium. We were fortunate enough to be allowed access to the 'back stage' of Temaiken, and were given a tour of how the vets mange the aquarium. A personal highlight for me was seeing how the rays and skates are nursed from birth until they are big enough to fend for themselves in the larger public display tanks. We were given the opportunity to personally hand the baby skates, which were no bigger than the palm of my hand. Although the animals were surprisingly social, we were under close supervision to ensure that we handle them properly. Having such a close up and personal experience with an animal which I had previously been able to admire only from a distance was absolutely fantastic.

The whole Temaiken experience was a great success, and we hope to stay in contact with the organization. We have already spoken about possible future plans for Pangaea in Argentina, including a project in Onunu close to the majestic Iguazzu Falls.

It was great to see that the people of Argentina shared our passion for nature and that they were so willing to work with us. I am beyond excited to get to see more of this diverse country, and explore the colder climates of the south.

Tomorrow morning we are off to El Calafate, where the real adventure will begin.