A group of neighbors from the San Francisco III neighborhood in Bariloche had an unforgettable moment during one of their excursions to the area between Cuyín Manzano and Valle Encantado, where they came face to face with an imposing Andean condor.
## Sighting Excitement
Marcos, one of the group members, shared his excitement on social media. This was not his first encounter with a condor in Patagonia, reaffirming his admiration for this majestic species.
## Andean Condor Characteristics
The Andean condor is an emblematic species of South America and is considered a cultural and natural heritage of the continent. In Argentina, it is found along the Andes mountain range, in provinces such as Catamarca, Jujuy, Tucumán, Salta, Tierra del Fuego, and in the central region of the country.
It feeds on carrion, playing an invaluable role in ecosystems. By consuming dead animals, it prevents the proliferation of bacteria that can cause diseases in humans. Additionally, it helps control the population of other scavenger species and thus contributes to maintaining the ecosystem balance.
## Endangered Species
Declared endangered and protected by National Law No. 22,421 for the Conservation of Wildlife, the main threat affecting the Andean condor is the consumption of toxic baits, an illegal practice used for the control of predator species.
The use of these baits not only endangers the Andean condor but all forms of life, including human health, and is also inefficient for predator control since it kills animals with scavenging habits, allowing those that include livestock in their diets to multiply.
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