Guafo Island

Guafo Island is a Chilean island located southwest of Chiloé Island and northwest of Chile's Chonos Archipelago. This location and the prevailing westerly winds bring frequent rainstorms to the island. Ocean currents bring an abundance of fish into this area, making it one of the most productive marine areas in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Because of this, numerous marine vertebrates such as fur seals, sea lions and penguins come to the island to feed and reproduce. Guafo Island has been recently purchased (June 2025)^[1] by Rewild Organization as also reported by actor Leonardo DiCaprio, in order to preserve it from mining and timber logging and to ensure biodiversity preservation.

Guafo

Native name: Isla Guafo
Guafo Island lighthouse
Guafo Island, outlying the entrance to the Gulf of Corcovado
Geography
Coordinates	43.593029°S 74.713481°W / -43.593029; -74.713481
Adjacent to	Pacific Ocean
Area	202 km2 (78 sq mi)
Administration
Chile
Region	Los Lagos
Province	Chiloé Province
Commune	Quellón
Demographics
Population	4
Additional information
NGA UFI= -883559

Biodiversity

Guafo Island is characterized by a high biodiversity that includes the largest breeding colony of South American fur seals (Arctophoca australis) on Chilean coasts,^[2] a large population of South American sea lions (Otaria byronia), and a reproductively active population of marine otters (Lontra felina), a critically endangered species. Recently the coasts of the island have been indicated as an important feeding area of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and transient killer whales (Orcinus orca).^[3] Among seabird highlights is the largest breeding colony of sooty shearwater (Puffinusgriseus) in the world (Reyes-Arriagada et al. 2007^[4]) as well as important nesting sites of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) and occasional sightings of Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti). Historical data also shows that the Island was within the itinerary of HMS Beagle in 1835, during the Second voyage of HMS Beagle. Guafo Island has been considered within areas that are critical for marine conservation by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Lighthouse

The lighthouse was built in 1907 by^[5] George Slight and its rotating four-man crews who serve four months on station is the only permanent population in the island. The lighthouse itself is only 8 meters tall, but the light is 144 meters above the sea.

Climate

Climate data for Guafo Island
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	15.1 (59.2)	15.3 (59.5)	14.9 (58.8)	13.4 (56.1)	12.1 (53.8)	10.8 (51.4)	10.3 (50.5)	10.2 (50.4)	10.3 (50.5)	10.7 (51.3)	11.8 (53.2)	13.1 (55.6)	12.3 (54.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	12.5 (54.5)	12.6 (54.7)	12.0 (53.6)	10.8 (51.4)	9.4 (48.9)	8.2 (46.8)	7.5 (45.5)	7.3 (45.1)	7.4 (45.3)	8.3 (46.9)	9.5 (49.1)	11.0 (51.8)	9.7 (49.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	9.6 (49.3)	9.4 (48.9)	8.8 (47.8)	7.3 (45.1)	6.3 (43.3)	5.4 (41.7)	4.7 (40.5)	4.6 (40.3)	4.5 (40.1)	5.4 (41.7)	6.6 (43.9)	8.0 (46.4)	6.7 (44.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	88.0 (3.46)	88.9 (3.50)	115.0 (4.53)	147.0 (5.79)	211.7 (8.33)	193.7 (7.63)	189.2 (7.45)	189.4 (7.46)	137.2 (5.40)	104.0 (4.09)	102.5 (4.04)	102.5 (4.04)	1,669.1 (65.71)
Source: Meteorología Interactiva[6]

In popular culture

The island is also an object of a popular Internet meme. The island gained popularity on TikTok after a user posted a video showing this island being for sale. Members of "Floptok", a TikTok subculture that spawned out of the Stan Twitter community, claim Guafo Island as the location of the imaginary nation of "Floptropica" and have created an extensive folklore around it. ^[7] Millions of people today identify as "Floptok" citizens. There are websites, social media pages, articles and music dedicated to this internet meme.