Estuario de la Bahía Blanca

Estuario de la Bahía Blanca, known locally as “Ría de Bahia Blanca”, is an extensive system of natural marshlands in the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina. This coastal wetland has unique geographical and biological characteristics and is considered one of the most important of its kind in Argentina. Estuario de la Bahía Blanca’s jurisdiction is complex, spanning national, provincial, and municipal authorities as well as private properties. The site is comprised of six subsites: (1) Bahía Blanca, Bahía Falsa, and Bahía Verde Provincial Nature Reserve; (2) Islote de la Gaviota Cangrejera Provincial Nature Reserve, (3) Bahía Blanca Coastal Municipal Nature Reserve, (4) Arroyo Pareja-Isla Cantarelli Natural Area, (5) Villa del Mar Wetlands, (6) and the Humedal Cuatreros Coastal Reserve. Together the six sub-sites total 262,527 hectares.

According to biologist Pablo Petracci, “This nomination helps to put Bahía Blanca Estuary on the international list of priority sites for migratory shorebird conservation in the Hemisphere, and, as such, helps to redouble the efforts needed for the area’s protection locally.” Petracci is Research Specialist for Gekko-Conservation and Management Studies Group in the Department of Biology, Biochemistry, and Pharmacy at Universidad Nacional del Sur, in Buenos Aires.