Bahía de San Antonio
Location
Río Negro, Argentina
Category
International
Basis for Designation
More than 100,000 shorebirds per year, including 40,000 Red Knots (Calidris canutus), approx. 25% of the biogeographic population. In recent years, fewer knots have been observed in the area, reflecting the dramatic declines that have been recorded for the species: it is estimated that at least 50% of the rufa population uses the area, underlining its importance for the future conservation of the species.
Size
16,900 hectares (41,761 acres)
Date Designated
1993
Site Owner
Provincia de Río Negro
Site Partners
Fundación Inalafquen, Consejo Provincial de Ecología de la Provincia de Río Negro
Overview
Bahía de San Antonio is a coastal marine protected area in the northwest corner of San Matías Gulf, in the northern part of Patagonia, Argentina. Xerophytic (desert tolerant) shrub vegetation called “monte” thrives in the uplands of this semi-desert part of Río Negro Province.
High tidal ranges of 9.3-meters (30.5 feet) are the dominant feature of the coast. The tides are an ecological engine that exposes vast intertidal habitats perfect for shorebirds twice every day. At low tide, the water can withdraw as far as 7 km (4.3 miles) from the coastal dunes, uncovering rich feeding areas used by shorebirds, such as salt marshes and mudflats, sand flats and sand beaches, and broad rocky surfaces (known in Spanish as “restinga”) along the Gulf shore.
The richness and diversity of feeding and resting areas make Bahía de San Antonio a key migratory stopover for northbound and southbound shorebirds. An estimated 25-50% of the hemisphere’s Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa) that winter in Tierra del Fuego stop here on their northward flight to their breeding grounds.
Two-banded Plover (Charadrius falklandicus) and American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) breed here. Other seabirds and waterfowl also nest in this area, including South American Tern (Sterna hirundinacea) and Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus). Endemic landbirds such as Sandy Gallito (Teledromas fuscus) and Yellow Cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata) make use of adjacent uplands. Bahía de San Antonio is an important nursery for mollusks and fishes, some of them of high commercial value.
Coming from the Arctic. These are the first Red Knots arriving to San Antonio Oeste at the beginning of austral spring in September 2005. Most of them are showing an advanced non breeding plumage in their way to the Tierra del Fuego wintering grounds. Photo: Patricia González.
Ecology & Conservation
Bahía de San Antonio became a protected provincial natural area in 1993, the same year it was recognized as a WHSRN Site of International Importance. Birdlife International designated it an Important Bird Area (IBA) in 2004. It is also a potential Ramsar Site.
San Antonio Bay gained added recognition and importance in 2005 when the Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) was listed as threatened with extinction (Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals – also known as the Bonn Convention). As a signatory, Argentina strives to protect these animals; this includes conserving or restoring the places where they live, mitigating obstacles to migration, and generally controlling factors that might endanger them.
Thanks to a provincial decree in 2008 that established the site’s boundaries, a total of 65,500 hectares (161,853 acres) of habitat is now protected.
Cannon netting shorebirds.
Land Use
The city of San Antonio Oeste has nearly 20,000 inhabitants. Public land ownership includes the city shoreline, beaches, and San Antonio Este Port, the commercial gateway for regional fruits, apple juices, onions, garlic and soda ash.
Potential pollution from garbage, port activities, and from a soda ash factory that began operating in 2005 are a concern.
The pristine beaches in San Antonio Bay that attract so many shorebirds also attract people. Las Grutas Beach draws 300,000 tourists every summer – a number that has increased 20% per year over the past decade. New access points, buildings, and tourist amusement facilities are being constructed along the beach. Lack of advance planning for this rapid expansion has resulted in uncontrolled tourist disturbance of critical roosting and feeding areas for migratory shorebirds.
Habitat Protection
The impact of human disturbance has been successfully controlled at roosting and feeding sites at Los Alamos near Las Grutas by “environmental rangers” from Consejo de Ecología y Medio Ambiente and Municipalidad de San Antonio Oeste. They were charged with protecting shorebird roosting sites during the high summer tourist season and fall migratory shorebird season, but they also act as interpreters, disseminating information about migratory birds.
However, Banco Reparo and Península Villarino and other key areas for shorebirds do not have any protection yet.
Outreach
Luckily most shorebirds arrive at San Antonio Bay as the tourist season is ending. Locals now see bird watching as an opportunity to extend the tourism season. A new Interpretation Center on shorebird migration has been developed under the Multi-National Conservation of Red Knots project, funded partially by a grant to WHSRN from the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (USA). Trained guides are leading bird watching trips and environmental education programs for tourists, educational institutions, law enforcement, and local fishermen.
School kids from Las Grutas show San Antonio Bay in the Map to their “pen pals” in New Jersey.
Management Priorities
Since 2006, the provincial government and local institutions (Municipalidad de San Antonio Oeste, Fundación Inalafquen, Instituto de Biología Marina y Pesquera Alte. Storni, Prefectura Naval Argentina and Fundación Patagonia Natural) are working on a management plan for the natural protected area at San Antonio Bay. In 2008, by provincial decree, area limits were established that increased the protected area to 65,500 hectares (161,853 acres). Meanwhile, the first urban management plan for the area (2005) advises restricted use of land close to key shorebird areas, which include extensive dune parks. But improved protection by environmental rangers is still needed.
Fundación Inalafquen is coordinating Red Knot research with other local and international institutions including the Royal Ontario Museum, Netherlands Institute of Sea Research, Canadian Wildlife Service, Manomet, and Birdlife International.
