Coastal Steppe Project, Patagonia – Current Work

Guanaco numbers are increasing with the protection provided by the Ranch of Hopes. Numbers have increased from an estimated 50 individuals in 2000, to over 500 seven years later. However, young Guanacos are getting caught in fencing and injured as a result. We urgently need to fund the removal of fencing and old corrals to enable wildlife to move freely without these hazards.

URGENT: Fence clearing work

Sheep ranching has helped establish a solid foundation of local support from the other estancias in the area, but there has been increasing evidence that the aging network of internal fences and corrals on the refuge are a deadly hazard to wildlife, especially young guanacos. As a result, it has been decided that:

• the sheep should be removed from the refuge;
• all of the internal fencing and corrals should be cleared as quickly as possible.

Removing the fencing will allow absolutely free and unimpeded movement for the wild Guanacos and other wildlife, which include Puma and Mara, across the 15,000 acres of the refuge. It will also provide an opportunity to pursue an integrated conservation development strategy unencumbered by the physical remnants and constraints of past activities.

Funds are urgently needed for the work necessary to clear the many kilometres of aging fencing on the Ranch of Hopes Wildlife Refuge. If you would like to help, please make a donation to the Patagonia Restoration Fund today.

Current Financial Requirements 

The WLT has been urgently raising funds to pay off the loans borrowed for the purchase of the land. This commitment has now been successfully achieved. In addition, WLT has funded management costs including wardening the reserve, installation of solar panels and the refurbishment of existing buildings.

Other Current Work

Monitoring and Research

Positive action is underway with a new monitoring and research programme. The list of mammals & birds recorded has increased dramatically and significant research is being carried out on the reserve by local students and volunteers. This includes radio-tracking of guanaco, and an investigation into the attitudes of local farmers to predators, carried out by a Chilean researcher from Canterbury University. The latter has produced interesting information with which WLT and FPN hope to tackle public opinion. Eco-tourism is being developed and out-reach projects include teaching local school children about nature conservation.

Restoration and Upgrading of the Ranch

The original farmhouses on Ranch of Hopes have been partially renovated to provide accommodation for researchers and volunteers, and a separate environmentally sensitive tourist lodge is being planned on the reserve. The upgrading of the ranch is being carried out to environmentally friendly standards, which include solar and wind power, and by using horses and mountain bikes for transport wherever possible.

We are also looking into setting up a webcam and satellite internet link at Ranch of Hopes, as we have recently done at Buenaventura Reserve in Ecuador. (See the Buenaventura webcam at www.wildlifefocus.org.)

More Information on the Coastal Steppe Project

To learn more about the Patagonia project visit the main project page: Help Save Patagonia's Wildlife.