Ibera Marsh Report

Since 1982, the Ibera wetlands are part of a protected area (the Iberá Natural Reserve), which comprises 13,000 km² (14% of the surface area of Corrientes, the largest protected area in Argentina). Iberá is also one of the most important fresh water reservoirs on the continent and it is full of life - caimen, march deer, rhea, the maned wolf, golden dorado, piranahs, river otters and birds like you have never seen before. We have been exploring the marsh, its lagoons, creeks and river banks. We have caught small dorado and photographed gauchos herding cattle and marsh birds in flight. My favorite bird is the wattled jancana pictured above.

Argentina has its share of environmental issues. Agricultural land use is a big one. As a "second world" country, its wealth lies in the soil and rivers, so mining, sheep, cattle and tourism are major economic forces. Couple that with a very poor rural population and any wild animal can be a source of protein. There is almost no access to the marsh. The nearest town is 1 hour away on a dirt road. The major city of Corrientes is 4 hours away. There are plenty of regulations but essentially no enforcement. The Golden Dorado is the national fish of Argentina but it is a fish that can be commercially harvested for sale. Little is known about the spawning habits or migration patterns in the river system.

We will be here a couple more days to talk more with the team working at Pira Lodge to discover opportunities for conservation here. More later...