WCS Argentina and a proposal for collaboration
WCS Argentina began designing this website in 2019 with the intention of raising awareness about the protected coastal and marine areas of Argentina and creating a long-term collaborative space where representatives from government institutions, managers, wildlife rangers and park rangers, NGOs, naturalists, and experts can contribute knowledge and information about the significance of these areas and the importance of their effective management. The website is an informative and dynamic space, constantly being updated, reviewed, and enriched. We hope it serves as a valuable resource for all those working to conserve our coastal and marine ecosystems and their species, as well as for ongoing governmental initiatives, such as Pampa Azul, the Sistema Federal de Áreas Protegidas (SIFAP), and the Sistema de Información sobre Biodiversidad (SIB) of the Administración de Parques Nacionales.
What do we seek?
The goal is for updated information about the protected coastal and marine areas of Argentina to be available to government decision-makers, field staff, researchers, educators, and the interested public, as a contribution to the effective management and enhancement of these biodiversity conservation areas.
How to use the website?
The site was designed so that users with different levels of knowledge about coastal and marine protected areas can easily find information of interest.
‘Home’ Section
A person interested in exploring the topic for the first time may find the main (interactive) map, located in the ‘Home’ Section, to be of interest. There, the bright points indicate the location of protected areas, and on the left-hand side, a dropdown menu provides the map’s references. By zooming in on the areas, the user can view their names, boundaries, and type of surface (terrestrial and/or marine).
This map can be used either to access the data sheets for the protected areas or to view a summary table of information about each area. One option is to navigate the map by zooming in or out of the area of interest using the ‘+’ (zoom in) and ‘–’ (zoom out) buttons located in the upper left corner, or by using the mouse scroll wheel. A search can also be performed using the magnifying glass icon located at the top right corner: by entering the full or partial name of a protected area, selecting it from the dropdown list, and pressing ‘Enter’, the map will automatically move to the selected location. By clicking on a protected area, a summary table will appear on the left-hand side of the map with key details and a link to the area’s technical data sheet.
To return the map to its original view, the user can click the first button on the left-hand side (‘Default map view’).
On the right-hand side of the map, several tools are available:
-
The first button (‘Measure’) allows users to measure distances between two or more points; calculate the area and perimeter of a polygon; and retrieve the coordinates of a specific point. In all three cases, the preferred unit of measurement can be selected from a predefined list. The ‘Clear’ option resets all measurements and restores the map to its original state.
-
The second button (‘Search’) is used to search for protected areas by name (as explained above).
-
The third button (‘Share’) allows users to share the map on various social media platforms.
-
The fourth button (‘Export to’) enables users to export an image of the map in PDF, JPG, or PNG format, according to their preferences. One option is to export an image of a specific section of the map. Users can either export the entire visible map area or define a custom area using the ‘Set map area’ option. They can also choose whether or not to include the map legend (‘Include legend’ option). Another option is to export an image of a protected area along with its summary table. To do this, first select the desired protected area (see instructions above), then click on the ‘Export to’ button. From there, users can select the map size, choose to include or exclude the legend, and decide whether to include the summary table of the area (‘Include selected features’ option). Before exporting, a preview of the file can be generated (‘Preview’ option). Finally, the user can name the file (‘Title’) and click ‘Export’ to download it.
‘Protected Areas’ Section
Readers seeking specific information about a protected area can visit the “Protected Areas” section, browse through the grid, and access the MPA technical sheets. The filters located on the left side of the screen help streamline the search process.
Another way to access the technical data sheets of the MPAs is by using the search tools—one located below the site map in the ‘Home’ section, and another positioned in the top right corner of the website (magnifying glass icon).
These technical sheets currently contain varying amounts of information, including, among other aspects, a description of the site, its creation objectives, conservation values and challenges, and management characteristics. Information relevant to visitors is also included, such as details on access, tourist services, and permitted activities. The content is complemented by maps and images to enhance the appreciation and understanding of the area.
The information presented has been compiled from official documents, such as regulations, government agency databases, and management plans, among others. It will also be gradually reviewed by experts from each MPA to ensure comprehensive and up-to-date content. Their expertise contributes to enriching the sheets, sometimes offering unpublished data. For MPAs that do not yet have a Management Plan, much of the information comes from the collaboration of professionals involved in the area. The authorship of this review (when applicable), along with the date of the last update and the bibliography used, can be found at the end of each page.
‘Statistics’ Section
This section provides a summary of information regarding the quantity and percentage of coverage of coastal and marine protected areas, based on calculations derived from the cartographic data in the database. It is important to emphasize that the utmost care has been taken in estimating the surface area of the protected areas, using the best available data, whether from polygons provided by official entities or by creating polygons based on the boundaries defined in the legislation that established the areas, while employing the recommended cartographic projection to ensure the accuracy of the area and its surface calculations.
‘Species’ Section
This section presents information on a set of notable species that inhabit or visit the coast and the Argentine Sea. A technical sheet is provided for each species. The information, organized by the year of the most recent update, summarizes the species’ conservation status according to IUCN criteria at the global, regional, and national levels, the population size and trend, the number of colonies or sites used by the species in Argentina, how many of these sites are within protected areas, and how many exhibit an increasing, decreasing, stable, or unknown population trend. It also lists the protected areas with colonies, stopover sites, or areas of intensive presence or use by the species.
‘Colonies’ Section
Editorial team
- Original Concept: Guillermo Harris with the collaboration of Santiago Krapovickas and Valeria Falabella – WCS Argentina
- Direction: Guillermo Harris and Valeria Falabella – WCS Argentina
- Technical Support and Coordination: Solange Fermepin – WCS Argentina
- Content Development and Updates: Paola Gonzalez – WCS Argentina
- Cartography and Database: Valeria Falabella, María Cecilia Palacio and Hugo Ramiro Páez Campos – WCS Argentina
- Web Design and Development: Manuel Ayuso, Federico Ocariz, Facundo Cunsolo, Lucas Morsellino – Gula Visual
- Photo Editing: Darío Podestá
- Art and Design: Victoria Zavattieri – WCS Argentina
- Comminication: Florencia Lemoine – WCS Argentina
Reviewers
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the following experts for their invaluable contributions to the content of this site. By dedicating their time and sharing their valuable knowledge, they have played a crucial role in enriching this project. Their generosity in providing information—often unpublished or hard to access—has been essential to its development.
- Ana Millones
- Andrea Raya Rey
- Annick Morgenthaler
- Ariel Rodriguez
- Cecilia Astengo
- Cintia Celsi
- Cristian Marinao
- Diego C. Luzzatto
- Esteban Frere
- Gabriela Blanco
- Grisel Roskos
- Guillermina Massacceci
- Javier Tolosano
- Juan Bautista Pombo
- Juan Jones
- Juan F. Masello
- Luciana Riccialdelli
- Marcos Cenizo
- María José Solis Fieg
- Mariela Gauna
- Mauricio Failla
- Maximiliano Rueda
- Natalia Del Giudice
- Natalia Dellabianca
- Nicolas Suarez
- Pablo Petracci
- Pablo Yorio
- Paula Lucía Tato Vázquez
- Ricardo Pereyra
- Soledad Díaz Ovejero
- Teresa Manera
Photographers
We thank the organizations, researchers, naturalists, and professional photographers who kindly provided their valuable photographic material to illustrate this site. The use of their images requires prior authorization.
- Alejandro Daniel Sánchez
- Andrea Raya Rey: arayarey@wcs.org
- Aníbal Farias
- Annick Morgenthaler: morgenthaler@gmail.com
- Augusto de Camillis: augustodive@gmail.com
- Beagle Secretos del Mar:beaglesecretosdelmar@gmail.com
- Carlos Alfredo Santander: junior3074@outlook.com
- Cintia Celsi: cintiacelsi@gmail.com
- Claudio Campagna
- Claudio Rodríguez: claudiorr@hotmail.com / @avesmardelplata
- Darío Podestá: dhpodesta@yahoo.com.ar
- Diego Cabanas: dcabanas@feadarsa.com.ar
- Emanuel Tiberi: tiberi@gmail.com
- Fabián Castellano: fabian619@hotmail.com
- Fabián Pinasco: bereniris1980@gmail.com
- Félix Zampelunghe: felixjlzampelunghe@yahoo.com.ar
- Fernando Mariño: demian15nicolas@hotmail.com
- Francisco Lopez: flopez@habitatydesarrollo.org.ar
- Gabriel Battaglia: puntarasa@rpm-net.com.ar
- Giacomo Dell’Omo / Ornis Italica: https://www.ornisitalica.com/staff/
- Grupo de Aves Marinas UNPA/WCS: estebanfrere@yahoo.com.ar
- Guillermo Harris: gharris@wcs.org
- Guillermo Rost: guillerost@gmail.com
- Hernán Povedano: hernanpovedano@gmail.com
- José Oyarzo: hueicha@gmail.com
- Juliana Sanchez: julianasanchez78@hotmail.com
- Lautaro Rodríguez Astorino: lauti999@yahoo.com.ar / @lautaro.astorino
- Lucas Albornoz
- Marcos Cenizo
- María José Solis Fieg
- María Natalia Paso Viola
- Mariana Descalzo: meldes@gmail.com
- Mariano Rodríguez: lacumbre_190@yahoo.com.ar
- Maricel Giaccardi
- Martín Ciancio: mciancio9@gmail.com
- Mauricio Failla
- Mónica Torres
- Natalia Del Giudice
- Nicolás Battini: nicolasbattini@gmail.com
- Nora Lisnizer: noralisnizer@gmail.com
- Pablo Petracci: pablopetracci@yahoo.com.ar
- Paola Gonzalez
- Santiago Imberti: santiagoimberti@gmail.com
- Santiago Krapovickas: sfkrapovickas@gmail.com
- Tomás Rodríguez Astorino: alfil2001@live.com / @tomas.astorino.fotografia
- Valeria Falabella
- Victor Hugo Correia
How to refer to the information on this webpage?
The information can be freely consulted and quoted, mentioning the source.
The suggested text for the technical sheets of each MPA is as follows:
WCS Argentina (Year accessed). [Name of the MPA] in Coastal and Marine Protected Areas of Argentina. https://ampargentina.org Review: [Name(s) of the reviewer(s) of the sheet, when applicable].
The tables and data from the Colonies section must be cited as described below:
Fermepin S., Falabella V., Krapovickas S. and G. Harris. 2025. Compilation of demographic data of some emblematic species present in the MPAs of the Argentine coast. Wildlife Conservation Society. https://ampargentina.org/en/colonies/ February 2025 version.
For maps, the suggested citation is as follows:
WCS Argentina (Year accessed). Map [Name of the MPA] in Coastal and Marine Protected Areas of Argentina. https://ampargentina.org Cartography: Valeria Falabella and María Cecilia Palacio.
For the use of the images and photographs on the website for any purpose, authorization must be requested from their authors.
Support and sponsorship
The development, updating and maintenance of this site is possible thanks to the support of the Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation to the project “Conservation of coastal marine biodiversity in Atlantic Patagonia” of WCS Argentina.
Acknowledgments
WCS Argentina thanks Patagonia Natural Foundation, Ricardo Delfino Schenke, and those who were part of the technical team of the project ‘Integrated System of Coastal and Marine Protected Areas’ (ARG / 10 / G47 GEF – UNDP) for promoting the effective management of these spaces and gathering valuable information, which serves as the foundation and inspiration for this site.
A special mention
To Don Antonio Torrejón, who died in 2020 at the age of 84 (RIP) who become a precursor to the conservation of coastal wildlife in Argentina in the middle of the 20th century, by understanding with enormous foresight that wildlife-based tourism could become a far more valuable alternative to the commercial slaughter of marine fauna, commonplace at that time. Called the “father of Patagonian tourism”, Antonio was the first Director of Tourism in the Province of Chubut and creator of the Provincial System of Protected Areas, in the 1960s. The protected areas of Punta Loma, Punta Norte, Golfo San José and Punta Tombo among others were created under his tutelage. Very early on, he recognized the importance of research for the conservation of natural resources and advocated the installation of Cenpat in Puerto Madryn, a dependent on Argentina’s National Research Council (CONICET). His efforts to promote tourism spread to all corners of Argentina where he held positions of Minister or Director of Tourism in numerous administrations or provided advice to those responsible for tourism and protected areas. He was President of the National Network of Protected Areas of Argentina and advisor to the highest levels of decision-making, including the National Ministry of Tourism, the National Parks Administration and the Honorable National Congress. Throughout his lifetime he received innumerable distinctions, both national and international, for his tireless work in favor of nature-based tourism. We express our gratitude to this giant among those who have fostered public care of our natural heritage through appreciation, enjoyment and respect.

IN MEMORY
This website is dedicated to the memory of Dr. William Conway, one of the greatest figures in global wildlife conservation and a pioneer in the conservation of coastal biodiversity in Patagonia.






William Conway
1929 – 2021
1929 – 2021
“Bill” to all who had the good fortune of meeting him and sharing fieldtrips on the coast of Argentine, was General Director of the New York Zoological Society (today WCS) for 40 years. Under his guidance, the organization, which includes the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium, built one of the leading international wildlife conservation programs with projects in more than 60 countries. Among them the creation of WCS’s conservation program in Argentina.
His first visit to this country was in 1960, a time when conservation efforts were just beginning here. Countless trips to the Patagonian coast followed, without a doubt his favorite place in the world. Under his leadership, WCS initiated its project for the conservation of right whales in Peninsula Valdés. It was followed by research and conservation projects on southern elephant seals, Magellanic penguins and many other species of marine birds and mammals.
Bill was a source of inspiration and permanent assistance for the development and implementation of the Patagonian Coastal Zone Management Plan and The Forum of NGOs for the Conservation of the Patagonian Sea and Areas of Influence. He also constantly supported research and conservation projects in conjunction with Argentina’s National Parks Administration and CONICET.
Author of more than 200 scientific papers and articles, his book “Act III in Patagonia. People and Wildlife” published by Shearwater Books US, has special value since it recounts his vision for the conservation of wildlife in this region. Most importantly, the creation and strengthening of protected areas of the Patagonian coast and the Argentine Sea.
For all this, those responsible for this website deeply thank William Conway for his tireless effort to advance knowledge and caring for the wildlife of Argentina.
For more information about this initiative, please contact:
WCS Argentina (pgonzalez@wcs.org)