Argentina Wildlife Highlights

Southern Right Whale

Thirty-five species of cetaceans have been recorded off of the coast of Argentina. The southern right whale is a species of baleen whale, found inhabiting the oceans south of the Equator. Between May and December the Peninsula Valdes serves as an important nursing and calving ground for southern right whales. Boat-based whale watching trips depart daily from the idyllic town of Puerto Pirámides. However whales can also be viewed from land at Playa El Doradillo, Puerto Madryn and all along the coast of Península Valdés.

Magellanic Penguin

The Magellanic penguin is a South American species of penguin, breeding in coastal Patagonia, including Argentina and Chile. This species is named after Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, whose crew first spotted these penguins when sailing around the tip of South America, in 1519. The Magellanic penguin is known for its black body and white belly, countershading that helps it avoid predators while swimming. When seen from above, a penguin’s black back blends into the dark ocean, and from below, its white stomach is camouflaged by the light from the sky.

Giant River Otter

The giant otter is a top aquatic predator which was until recently believed to be extinct in Argentina. Growing up to six feet long, these huge members of the weasel family swim by propelling themselves with their powerful tails and flexing their long bodies. They also have webbed feet, water-repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils and ears that close in the water. The species is making a great comeback, after a recent rewilding project on the Bermejo River in Impenetrable national park.

Vicuna

The vicuna is the smallest member of the camelid family, and are the wild ancestor of the alpaca. Vicuna were hunted almost to extinction for their wool and meat until the 1960s when Chile and Peru created protected national parks and stopped trade in vicuna wool. Since then, the population has steadily increased.They can be found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, living on high, mountainous grasslands and plains.

Jaguar

The largest predator in South America, the jaguar, has returned to the Iberá wetlands in Argentina 70 years after the species was driven to local extinction through hunting and habitat loss. Currently, only about 200 jaguars remain in Argentina. In 2021, two jaguars, the first of nine, were reintroduced to repopulate the species in the 687,966 hectare protected area of the Ibera Wetlands, which offers an abundance of wild prey for the big cats.