Patagonia will have a new National Park.
The Province of Rio Negro approved the transfer of some 5,000 hectares to the national state to create the Islote Lobos National Park. The National Congress is expected to pass the law shortly to make this project a reality.
For 40 years it has been a Provincial Protected Natural Area. This territory is located in the San Matías Gulf, 50 km from the town of Sierra Grande and very close to Playas Doradas beach, where the base of the future park will be installed. It includes marine, intermarial and coastal areas.
It is a small archipelago made up of 5 islets: Islote Lobos, Ortiz Norte and Sur, Rodondo, the island of birds and La Pastosa: the latter is the most accessible and where the penguins nest.
Biodiversity makes this a unique place. In addition to Magellan penguins there are hundreds of species of birds such as the reddish sandpiper, terns, cormorants, hawks, plovers, herons and more than 20 species of reptiles and mammals. And abundant marine life too: fish, mollusks, crustaceans, dolphins … and in winter you can spot the southern right whale as well.
At the moment it is not possible to visit the area and it is expected that in the (austral) summer of 2021/2022 only some of its islets will be opened to tourism in order to enjoy them while protecting the fragile ecosystem of Argentine Patagonia.