Last October, in Sierras de Las Quijadas (San Luis), dozens of yellow cardinals were released in the private protected natural area “La Siempre Viva”, under the supervision of Aves Argentinas.
The specimens were rescued in 2023, during an operation by the Argentine Naval Prefecture. They were originally a contingent of 95 specimens, who, crammed into a van, were intended to be transported abroad for commercial purposes.
45 specimens were entrusted to Temaikén Foundation, part of the Yellow Cardinal Alliance. There, they underwent a process of rehabilitation and behavioral recovery, which is crucial for their return to their natural habitat.
A technical team led by Rocío Lapido, head of the Yellow Cardinal Alliance of Aves Argentinas, and Alicia De La Colina, in charge of the Yellow Cardinal Project of Temaikén Foundation, reviewed detection signals, relocated transmitters, and recorded the first movements of the birds in their new habitat area. Park rangers from “La Siempre Viva” and volunteers from the Grasslands Alliance participated in the activity.
Aves Argentinas and the Grasslands Alliance placed trap cameras at strategic points in the reserve. These cameras will allow documenting the presence not only of the released birds, but also of other key species for biodiversity monitoring.
The importance of this release
This joint effort strengthens the network of observers and technicians who provide data for the management of the protected natural area. Post-release monitoring is essential to assess the adaptation of the birds and adjust future reintroduction protocols.
The future objectives pursued by this monitoring will be: a detailed analysis of the images and data collected by the trap cameras to identify habitat use patterns and the implementation of periodic monitoring every 30 and 60 days to ensure the well-being and survival of the reintroduced birds.
The progress will be shared in upcoming publications and workshops of the Argentine Network of Private Reserves. With this field monitoring, Aves Argentinas, Temaikén Foundation, and the Grasslands Alliance consolidate a collaborative work model that strengthens the conservation and restoration of bird populations in their natural habitats.
