Assessing the Impact of Roads in Protected Areas of Northwestern Argentina

In Argentina, the National Parks Administration is leading a research project aimed at generating solid scientific knowledge to support decision-making. Coordinated by Soledad de Bustos, a specialist in Terrestrial Ecology, the project seeks to obtain more accurate estimates of the impact of roads on wildlife, thereby facilitating the implementation of effective mitigation measures.
The project is conducting surveys of vertebrates killed by vehicles on roads within or near protected areas in northern Argentina. Additionally, camera traps are being installed in culverts to evaluate their effectiveness as a mitigation measure, gathering concrete data on this issue. The study began in Calilegua and Los Cardones National Parks, located in the Yungas and Puna ecoregions respectively, with plans to expand to other protected areas in northwestern Argentina.
The initial results are alarming: in two systematic surveys of roadkill along National Route 34 near Calilegua National Park, 170 vertebrate carcasses were recorded. On the other hand, the culverts were found to be functional for at least 22 mammal species. Along Provincial Route 33, which crosses Los Cardones National Park, three surveys recorded 141 roadkill specimens, and the culverts were used by six mammal species. This valuable information will allow for the proposal and implementation of effective mitigation measures to reduce the number of vertebrates killed on these roads, thus protecting the rich biodiversity of Argentina’s natural areas.