Southern river otter (Lontra provocax) Case Study
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Continent: South America
Country: Argentina
Grant Amount: $9,850
Huillínes (Lontra provocax) habitat and connectivity restoration to support population recovery in Argentina's Northern Patagonia
Huillínes (Lontra provocax) habitat and connectivity restoration to support population recovery in Argentina's Northern Patagonia through the collaboration with local communities
The overall objective of the project is to support the recovery of Huillínes (Southern River Otters) within the largest freshwater population of this species in Argentina.
The first objective is to improve coastal habitat quality by increasing the availability of suitable resting and refuge sites along the southern shoreline of Nahuel Huapi Lake, within the highly urbanized area of San Carlos de Bariloche. This will promote dispersal from currently occupied sites in the western lake arms toward the eastern sector, where the Limay River originates.
The second objective is to restore functional connectivity along the Limay River, which is currently affected by reservoirs and fish farms that create barriers to dispersal. The river functions as a biological corridor connecting Nahuel Huapi Lake with other lakes that were historically occupied by the species. The entire project will be carried out within two national parks.
All activities will be implemented in collaboration with local communities to promote environmental education, community involvement, and long-term conservation. Educational campaigns and informational signs will also be installed at public-use sites.
Throughout the project, we aim to:
1) Restore coastal sites within urban and peri-urban areas by improving riparian vegetation in collaboration with local communities.
2) Preserve and monitor sites with high Huillín activity.
3) Actively engage neighborhood associations in the long-term conservation, monitoring, and maintenance of restored sites.
This grant is funded as part of our Fonseca Leadership Program which was established by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This fund supports young conservationists from developing countries.
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