Rewilding Beyond Borders: The First Southern Cone Collaboration to Translocate Wild Endemic Birds
Darwin’s rheas (Photograph by Alejandra Saavedra)
In the first international translocation of wild species for release in the Southern Cone, Rewilding Argentina and Rewilding Chile, offspring organizations of Tompkins Conservation, have brought 15 Darwin’s rheas across the Andes from Patagonia Park, Argentina to Patagonia National Park, Chile in order to restore depleted populations of this endemic species, crucial to maintaining healthy grasslands.
COCHRANE, CHILE—In an historic joint action to recover vulnerable populations of Darwin’s rhea (Rhea pennata), multiple organizations have aided the successful translocation of 15 individuals from Argentina to Chile. It’s the first international translocation of a wild population for release in the Southern Cone.
An emblematic species of the Patagonian steppe, rheas maintain healthy grasslands by dispersing seeds to renew vegetative growth. In Chile’s Aysén region, grasslands have become depleted by over a century of overgrazing, and hunting, and nest destruction has threatened the species’ survival. While the rheas have traveled only fifty-five miles (90km) to their new home, their journey would have been impossible otherwise, as livestock fences and canines stand in the way of natural dispersal.
Darwin’s rhea (Photograph by Franco Bucci)
The group comes from Patagonia Park in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina, where conservation efforts by Rewilding Argentina, with the support of Freyja Foundation, have helped restore a healthy population. “We have sourced individual rheas from healthy and abundant populations in Patagonia Park, Argentina with minimal impact to the group,” said Sebastian Di Martino, Conservation Director of Rewilding Argentina. The project is expanding scientific understanding of the species’ habits and spatial ecology, through observing interactions, population dynamics, and use of territory via GPS technology and telemetry.
Known as ñandús in Chile and choiques in Argentina, these large, flightless birds reach 1.10 meters in height and weigh twenty kilos. To mitigate concerns of avian flu, the Darwin’s rheas undertake veterinary exams and quarantine, both in their place of origin and upon arrival in Chile, where they will adapt to their new environment in holding pens leading up to their release.
Cristian Saucedo, the Director of Wildlife for Rewilding Chile, is optimistic about rewilding becoming a mainstream tool to stem biodiversity loss. He states, “The protocols to restore species across borders didn’t even exist until now. Yet, out of necessity, our institutional systems are evolving to be more dynamic and responsive to crises. It’s an exciting time for rewilding.”
Darwin’s rhea (Photo by Marcelo Mascareño)
Kris Tompkins, President of Tompkins Conservation, is celebrating the news: “Today we’ve hit a historic milestone for rewilding. If we want to reverse the mass extinction crisis, international cooperation is going to be essential. I’m very proud of the work of our offspring organizations, and hope to say that this action broadens our expectations in restoring nature, because nature knows no borders.”
Entities key to the translocation include the provinces of Santa Cruz, the Chilean Forestry Service (CONAF), the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), Freyja Foundation, Rewilding Argentina, and Rewilding Chile.
A driving force to curb the worldwide climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis, Tompkins Conservation protects, rewilds, and defends land and marine ecosystems in the Southern Cone through collaborating to create national parks and rewilding key species. Working with public and private partners, the organization has helped to create 13 national parks, protecting 14.5 million acres. The goal is to restore a healthy planet with big, wild, and connected landscapes where animals and plants can thrive. This also means helping to build robust communities that benefit from a healthy natural world.
Kristine McDivitt Tompkins and Douglas Tompkins (1943-2015) founded Tompkins Conservation after leading iconic American clothing brands—Kristine as longtime CEO of Patagonia Inc, and Doug as co-founder of The North Face and Esprit. Changing course in the early 1990s to focus on conservation, they became two of the most successful conservation philanthropists in history. After Doug lost his life in a tragic kayaking accident in 2015, Kristine has continued to build on their foundation. She is now the president of Tompkins Conservation and a UN Environment Patron of Protected Areas.
A 501(c)(3) public charity, Tompkins Conservation carries out conservation projects through the nonprofit network of Rewilding Chile and Rewilding Argentina.
