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Argentine Institute Develops Solutions to Keep Guanacos from Sheep Water Sources
🇦🇷 Argentina /Environment & Climate

Argentine Institute Develops Solutions to Keep Guanacos from Sheep Water Sources

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Argentina's National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA) is proposing solutions to prevent guanacos from accessing sheep water sources.
  • Two devices, a roofed structure and a raised fence, have been tested and shown to exclude guanacos without harming sheep.
  • This initiative aims to reduce conflict over water resources between native fauna and livestock in Patagonia.

Technicians from Argentina's National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA) have developed innovative solutions to address the growing conflict between native guanacos and sheep farmers in Patagonia. The core issue involves guanacos accessing artificial water sources intended for livestock, exacerbating competition for vital resources.

INTA is proposing two distinct methods to restrict guanaco access to sheep water troughs. The first involves constructing a canopy or roof over the water source, allowing smaller sheep to access water underneath while deterring the larger guanacos. The second method utilizes a raised fence design, approximately two meters high, with a lower opening and an upper wire to prevent guanacos from jumping over.

In the area, and also in other fields of the province, the scarcity or poor distribution of drinking water for animals within grazing areas is common.

— Martín RoaMartín Roa, from INTA's Rural Extension Agency in Los Antiguos, explains the common issue of water scarcity that leads to conflicts over artificial water sources.

These trials, conducted in Santa Cruz province, have demonstrated the effectiveness of these devices in excluding guanacos without negatively impacting the sheep population. According to Martín Roa from INTA's Rural Extension Agency in Los Antiguos, these solutions require minimal investment and can significantly improve water resource management. The research focused on fields between national route 40 and provincial route 43, monitoring water sources frequently used by guanacos throughout the year.

The initiative seeks to mitigate the economic impact on producers who have faced increased costs for water supply, such as drilling new wells or transporting water via tanker trucks. By implementing these simple yet effective barriers, INTA aims to foster a more sustainable coexistence between wildlife and agricultural activities in the region.

We looked for fields that had several water sources and troughs within the paddocks, we toured the water sources and chose those that were most frequented by guanacos and that had water almost all year round, as this is an area of summer and winter grazing fields.

— Martín RoaRoa describes the methodology used to select the monitoring sites for the water access restriction project.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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