Patagonia Azul Biosphere Reserve

The Patagonia Azul Biosphere Reserve is located in the south of Argentina, on the coast of Chubut province, within Argentine Patagonia. It covers an area of 3,102,005 ha (7,665,221 acres) or approximately 31,000 sq km (12,000 sq mi).

The Patagonia Azul Biosphere Reserve was added to the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2015. Roughly the size of Belgium, it is the largest protected area in Argentina.

The specific geographical characteristics combined with numerous inaccessible areas and over fifty islands and coastal islands have resulted in pristine areas that protect the essential biodiversity of this region of Patagonia.

The Biosphere Reserve also includes archaeological and paleontological sites of unique value, including an extensive petrified forest.

The Patagonia Azul Biosphere Reserve encompasses a coastal area containing the greatest biodiversity on the Argentine coastline. The area constitutes a representative sample of the Patagonian Steppe, the Patagonian Southwest Atlantic, as well as plains and plateaus.

The reserve includes important breeding, feeding, and migration sites for various species of birds and mammals. Punta Tombo hosts the world's largest colony of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), accounting for almost 40% of the global population.

The Biosphere Reserve has a very low human population density, with the only town being Camarones. The permanent population amounts to 1,680 residents and a seasonal population of 1,842 inhabitants. Of these, 5% belong to indigenous ethnic groups, including the Mapuche, Tehuelche, and Ona.

Today, most of the territory is occupied by ranches or rural establishments dedicated to sheep rearing, with wool production constituting another economic activity of importance.

The southern part of the Biosphere Reserve is linked with the origins of 'Lana Camarones,' fine quality wool made locally since the nineteenth century. Other main activities include fishing, tourism, seaweed extraction, and small and medium-scale cultivation of native bivalves.