Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa

Panorama with the Laguna Verde in the background

Sol de Mañana geyser field

Laguna Verde seen from the summit of Licancabur.

View of the Salvador Dalí desert with the typical rocks

The Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Abaroa is the most visited national park in Bolivia with at least 60,000 visitors per year . It was founded in 1973 and bears the name of Eduardo Abaroa, a war hero of the Saltpeter War .

The mountains of the reserve in the Department of Potosí are the highest mountains in the Andes on the border from Bolivia to Chile and Argentina . Similar to Yellowstone National Park in the United States , the reserve is home to many active volcanoes , hot springs , geysers, and steaming fumaroles .

overview

The reserve covers an area of about 7147 km² and is on average 4000 meters above sea level. The climate is dry in the winter months from May to August and humid in the summer months from December to April, with average annual rainfall a low 65mm. The annual average temperature is 3 ° C, the lowest temperatures are between May and July.

In the area of the park there are two smaller settlements, Quetena Chico and Quetena Grande , which live from tourism, mining and llama keeping.

topography

The nature reserve is located in a region of irregular relief with extensive plateaus and plains to the west, flanked by the volcanic Cordillera Occidental , the highest point of which is the Licancabur volcano .

Hydrography

There are several lakes in the region, such as Laguna Verde , Laguna Colorada and Laguna Blanca .

flora

Despite the extreme environment, at least 190 plant species grow in the nature reserve. The species have adapted to the harsh conditions of salinity, drought, low temperatures and lack of nutrients.

The vegetation is characterized by the strong presence of some grasses (Jarava ichu, on salty soils, Distichlis humilis , Muehlenbergia fasciata) . Baccharis dracunculifolia is found in places with the greatest humidity, and Polylepis and Yareta in rocky areas .

Animals

The fauna is characterized by the presence of endemic species adapted to the extreme conditions of life in the area. Some of them are threatened with extinction .

80 species of birds live in the reserve, including three species of flamingo (Phoenicopterus andinus , Chileflamingo and James flamingo ), which are the main attraction; also Andean geese, falcons, ducks, Andean condors , rheas and Darwin rheas .

In addition, there are 23 species of mammals including pumas , Andean foxes, Viscachas and vicunas .

Threats

The Eduardo Abaroa Reserve is one of the most economically disadvantaged regions in Bolivia due to its topography and remoteness. The beauty attracts a large number of tourists, but tourism is mostly irregular and disordered. Most of the over 60,000 visitors who make the long journey to the reserve use a four-wheel drive vehicle and tour guides without adequate training. These vehicles disrupt the flora and fauna and destroy the sensitive landscapes. The lack of tourist infrastructure contributes to the pollution of the landscape with human waste.

Mining and inadequate farming practices also create problems in the biological, ecological and historical areas. Mining is an important industry in and around the park, with around 61 active mines within the reserve's boundaries.