Patagonia wildlife center opens to preserve endangered huemul species

In Chile's Patagonian region, the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve has inaugurated a new wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center. The facility opened its doors on International Huemul Day, a symbolic date for the endangered species found in both Chile and Argentina. The center, backed by the Huilo Huilo Foundation, is strategically located within the reserve's 100,000 hectares.

Its primary mission is to offer specialized veterinary attention to native animals like pumas, foxes, birds, and huemules that are sick or injured. A key benefit, according to Ivonne Reifschneider, president of the foundation, is treating animals directly in their natural environment. This proximity reduces the stress associated with transporting animals to distant urban centers, thus improving their chances of recovery and successful reintroduction into the wild.

This new infrastructure marks the first phase of a larger Wild Life Conservation Center, which will eventually include a high-tech veterinary clinic, surgical suites, and quarantine areas. The center also aims to bolster the foundation's ongoing efforts to repopulate the southern huemul population. The inauguration coincided with the start of the First International Congress on Native Fauna Repopulation, bringing together specialists from eight countries, including Argentina, to share expertise on recovering and reintroducing threatened species.

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By avoiding this transfer, we are positively impacting their recovery, as it reduces animal stress and facilitates their subsequent reintroduction into the habitat.