Overview
- Officials announced the site’s formal incorporation on January 22, 2026, recognizing its continental importance for migratory birds.
- Peak counts documented 4,300 Baird’s sandpipers in January 2024 and 5,458 in December 2024, meeting the international 1% threshold.
- The evidence comes from systematic bird censuses conducted from February 2023 to February 2025, led by Fundación Humedales/Wetlands International and compared with late-1980s records.
- Llancanelo functions as a critical stopover where long-distance migrants traveling up to 16,000 kilometers rest and refuel.
- Provincial authorities say the recognition expands management tools, strengthens monitoring systems, and builds technical capacity for park staff.