Animals and Leisure Experiences in Wild Protected Areas in Central-South Chile

Abstract

This chapter proposes a critical reflection about the roles that non-human animals play in leisure experiences in wild protected areas, connected to the construction of ‘sense of place’ and conceptual understandings of nature. It is based on two studies carried out separately, in the El Cañi Sanctuary, the Huerquehue National Park, the Conguillio National Park and the Villarrica National Park, in La Araucanía region. Although wild protected areas in Chile (South America) have experienced a sustained increase in visitors in recent decades, in most cases the appeal of leisure activities in these spaces seems to be strongly connected to the attractiveness of their landscapes, apparently unrelated to the observation and interaction with non-human animals.