More and more decisions are being made by government agencies to preserve local wildlife. This is what happened in the province of Chubut, which announced new environmental protection measures, such as expanding the Protected Area Punta Tombo and creating an Environmental Prosecutor’s Office for the preservation and conservation of nature in the region.
In addition, penalties will be increased for crimes against animals in the area, and a Management Committee will be established to improve governance of the Blue Patagonia Biosphere Reserve. All these measures were taken within the framework of state policies for environmental care in Chubut.
The announcement of this set of measures was made a few days ago by the province’s governor, Ignacio “Nacho” Torres. These proposals will be sent to the Legislature to be discussed in different committees, where they will need to be introduced and debated in the chamber.
During the presentation of these bills, held at the new Egidio Feruglio Museum in Trelew, the governor was accompanied by Susana Giménez, the Tourism Minister of Chubut, Diego Lapenna; the Secretary of Environment, Juan José Rivera, and the Mayor of the city, Gerardo Merino.
Susana Giménez with the governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres, at the presentation. Photo: El Patagónico.
Fines for those who do not care for the environment
One of the bills presented by the governor of Chubut seeks to establish an increase in pecuniary fines for crimes of animal abuse and cruelty. Furthermore, Torres mentioned that the expansion of the Punta Tombo Natural Protected Area “will need to be approved by law after we submit the project to the Legislature,” and added that several NGOs are willing to support the province once the law is approved.
Even the diva of television herself spoke up and showed solidarity with the people of Chubut for the events that occurred in the nature reserve, emphasizing that “there is an awareness that people are gaining, and the truth is that an animal is not only cute but also harmless, so I think the measures that are going to be taken are very good.”
Susana Giménez commented on the environmental measures taken in Chubut. Photo: El Patagónico.
Expansion of the protected area within the new measures
Initially, the Punta Tombo Natural Protected Area had only 210 land areas, territory that has expanded over the years. Currently, this reserve will add another 1,014 land hectares, including the Punta Clara region, which will encompass a total of 180 thousand pairs of Magellanic penguins, a species that is endangered.
This expansion will also host elephant seals and sea lions, colonies of seabirds and coastal birds, as well as other terrestrial species, making this place a key site of global relevance. In fact, there will be a significant investment in infrastructure and equipment to improve monitoring and control of the area, with the aim of ensuring the protection of the marine fauna that inhabits the region.
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