In a significant **advance for biodiversity conservation**, the government of Mendoza incorporated 40,000 hectares of private land into the La Payunia Protected Natural Area, thus ensuring a safe habitat for the world’s largest **[guanaco migration](https://noticiasambientales.com/animales/la-poblacion-de-guanacos-se-recupera-en-la-provincia-de-neuquen/)**. This initiative was carried out thanks to the donation of land by WCS Argentina, Greater Good Charities, and GreaterGood.com, which were accepted by the province and are now part of the public domain.
The official donation ceremony took place on March 19, with the presence of Governor Alfredo Cornejo, who highlighted the importance of this **incorporation for ecosystem preservation**. “We gladly received this donation, which we will soon present to the provincial Legislature for approval. Mendoza is the province with the most protected natural areas in the country,” Cornejo stated.
La Payunia, located in the Malargüe department, is a territory of stunning beauty, characterized by **its volcanic landscape and great diversity of native species**, including the lesser rhea, the puma, the Andean cat, and the Andean condor. However, its main feature is hosting the migration of between 25,000 and 40,000 guanacos, which travel up to 150 kilometers in their seasonal movements. This mobility is crucial for their survival, but it is threatened in other regions of Patagonia by territory fragmentation due to roads and fences.
The recently incorporated lands are part of the **winter displacement area of the guanacos** and complement the integration of 42,000 hectares already protected since 2019. The purchase and donation of these lands will **help avoid harmful activities for the ecosystem**, such as traditional livestock farming, poaching, and hydrocarbon extraction.
## **Conserving the guanaco and protecting the park**
Jimena Latorre, Minister of Energy and Environment of Mendoza, stated that they will seek the categorization of these lands as a **Provincial Park**, which would ensure the highest level of protection according to Mendoza’s legislation. Mariano González Roglich, director of WCS Argentina, highlighted the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to achieve these accomplishments.
The conservation of the guanaco **is essential for ecological balance**. Their role in the ecosystem includes **pasture regeneration** and carbon storage in soils, in addition to being a **food source for pumas and condors**. In 2024, the species was included in Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species, reinforcing the need for its protection.
With its 665,000 hectares, La Payunia is the largest protected area in Mendoza and one of the most extensive in Patagonia. Its tourist and scientific potential makes it **a key space for research** and sustainable development. Furthermore, the region’s natural value is one of the factors that nominate it as a candidate to be declared a Natural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
The acquisition and donation of these lands are a milestone, thanks to the joint effort of the Subsecretariat of Environment, the Directorate of Protected Natural Areas of Mendoza, and various NGOs, which began in 2013. Following this achievement, the collaboration of WCS Argentina, the Wildlife Conservation Foundation of Argentina, and the funding from Greater Good Charities and GreaterGood.com, achieved **a key step in preservation** of one of Argentina’s most valuable ecosystems.
## **What is the conservation status of the species?**
While it is true that at a continental level, guanacos are not threatened with extinction, it is also true that **at a local and regional level, this species is in danger of disappearing**. The main risk factors for their existence are related to habitat alteration, competition due to the introduction of sheep, not to mention **[indiscriminate hunting](https://noticiasambientales.com/animales/mendoza-detuvieron-a-cazadores-furtivos-de-guanacos-en-plena-reserva-natural/)**, and lack of protection measures.
Faced with the **population decline**, experts affirm that sustainable guanaco management can positively impact the species’ future, as it could help stop its decline and recover the original distribution areas.
Currently, **guanacos occupy only 40% of their original distribution**, with the La Payunia Reserve in Mendoza province and Auca Mahuida in Neuquén being the most inhabited regions. This is because they are located in sparsely populated, hard-to-reach areas with low productivity where livestock farming is not practiced.
Source: WCS Argentina.
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