Coastal MPA
Cabo Blanco
Intangible Nature Reserve

Cover Photo © Dario Podestá

Description

The Cabo Blanco Natural Reserve was created in 1997 under provincial jurisdiction. In the area there are three irregular masses of rocks that reach about 40 meters high and are joined by an isthmus that forms two coves. The reserve contains the only two-hair sea lion colony on the entire coast of the province of Santa Cruz. Three types of cormorants are present in the area (gray, black-necked or rock cormorant and imperial cormorant), the kittiwake, the southern gull, the black oystercatcher, the Antarctic pigeon, the common or brown oystercatcher and various shorebirds or plovers. Orcas can be sighted from the coast between March and April, and the southern dolphin.

Geographic Location

Province

Santa Cruz

Coordinates:

-47.20° Latitude S

-65.75° Longitude W

Size and Limits

Total Area:

0

Marine Area:

0

Continental Area:

0

NOTES ON SURFACE ESTIMATION
Area estimated based on the calculation of the area of the polygon represented on the map (ArcGIS PRO) with an Albers Equivalent Conic projection to preserve area calculations.

APN reports 73.70 km2 (Read More)
Padin (2007) reports an area of 7.3 km2.

Legal Aspects

Jurisdiction

Provincial

Year of Creation

1977

Creation Legislation

Provincial Decree 001561/77

Photo © G Harris WCS
Photo © G Harris WCS

Eco-regions represented

Marine

Land

Patagonian Steppe Ecoregion

Conservation Objectives

Protect the only breeding and reproduction area of the South American fur seal. Colony of Sea lions. Important area for Cormorants and other marine birds.

Colonies and stopover sites

The following table presents the colonies or stopover sites of some emblematic species of birds and marine mammals present within the MPA boundaries.

Management

Management effectiveness and evaluation year

39 % – METT Evaluation (2014)

Sources of information consulted:
Biodiversity Information System (https://sib.gob.ar/portada).
Padin (2007)
Fasioli and Díaz (2010)

Bird and marine mammal colonies: See Bibliography