Scientists from the **Faculty of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences (FCEFN)** at the **University of San Juan**, together with the company **Knight Piésold Argentina Consultores S.A**., agreed to work on a new mission: conducting a census of [guanacos](https://noticiasambientales.com/ciencia/una-trampa-en-el-paisaje-de-la-patagonia-como-trabajan-para-frenar-la-muerte-anual-de-27-000-guanacos-en-los-alambrados/) with the purpose of knowing how many specimens inhabit the mountainous area of Calingasta.
This project, signed by the rector of UNSJ, Mr. **Tadeo Berenguer**; the dean of **[FCEFN](https://exactas.unsj.edu.ar/2025/09/19/exactas-censara-la-poblacion-de-guanacos-en-calingasta/)**, Dr. **Jorge Castro**; and the representative of the private firm, **Fernando Jesús González**; aims to carry out a population survey in the area of influence of the El Pachón mining project.
For this, a team of professors, researchers, graduates, and students from the Biology career will work together to carry out the different censuses, both direct and indirect. This aims to estimate the **abundance, distribution, and population structure** of this emblematic species of the Andean region.
To achieve the best possible results, members of the research team must undergo **certified training by the Faculty**. This course will provide them with key aspects for the survey, such as guanaco biology, recognition of social structures, identification of indirect signs of their presence, and methodological foundations for data collection.
### A Census Opening New Possibilities
The guanaco census is not the only objective of this project, as the agreement signed by the aforementioned institutions also aims to open the door to **future joint research**. In this sense, the institutions will also seek to work on the **conservation of germplasm** of native plant species for **ecological restoration purposes**, thereby providing a new comprehensive perspective on **environmental management**.
According to the authorities of the FCNFN, this initiative is nothing more than a demonstration of their commitment to **applied science** and **interdisciplinary work** for the benefit of **nature conservation** and **biodiversity** in the region, as well as for the management of the province’s **natural resources**.
### What is the Conservation Status of the Guanaco in the Country and What Threats do They Face?
The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is one of the most representative wild species of the **[Argentine fauna](https://noticiasambientales.com/animales/la-poblacion-de-guanacos-se-recupera-en-la-provincia-de-neuquen/)** and occupies extensive regions of **Patagonia**, the **Northwest**, and **arid zones** of the country. While their populations are still abundant in some areas, in other areas, they have decreased significantly due to human pressure and the **fragmentation of their habitat**.
Among the main threats is **poaching**, carried out for both their meat and leather, which directly reduces the number of specimens. Also, competition with **domestic livestock** for food and water generates tensions in **fragile ecosystems**, displacing wild populations to less favorable areas.
Another increasing risk is habitat degradation caused by **overgrazing**, **agricultural expansion**, and **climate change**, which modifies the availability of pastures in arid and semi-arid regions. These combined pressures endanger the long-term viability of the species, even though its conservation status at the national level is considered of “least concern.”
