Project

Huillin

Lontra provocax

Scope of the project

The reduction in its population was mainly due to hunting, since its skin is of great fur quality. Hunting is currently prohibited, so its main threats are fragmentation, loss of habitat and lack of connectivity between environments.

habitat and behavior

It inhabits freshwater systems in northern Patagonia and the marine coasts of Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados. In northern Patagonia they are usually found in lakes and rivers in wooded environments and steppe rivers. They are solitary, and are usually found swimming, diving in search of food or using holes between rocks and logs as burrows.

feeding

It feeds mainly on macrocrustaceans of the genera Sammastacus and Aegla. It rarely feeds on fish.

reproduction

Parental care consists only of the mother. The mother is usually found with 1 or 2 young in spring.

curiosity

They are excellent divers, being able to dive up to 10 meters.

context

Huillín Project

The Huillín project is part of a long-term work that began in the doctoral work of Lali Fasola, coordinator of the Patagonia Program. Since 2016 we started working again with the species with the objective of knowing the current status of its populations, the status of threats (i.e. which threats mentioned are still present, if there are new threats not yet detected and the magnitude of each one) and generate a management plan that involves increasing existing populations but also generating new population nuclei. All this framed in generating solid knowledge about the ecology of the species and the state of the environments in the region.

patagonia in action program

Lines of research

Contributions to the state of knowledge and recovery of Huillín populations in freshwater systems of Northern Patagonia.

Responsible

Rosario Ballester

State

Active

Target

Based on the use of different approaches we aim to update the distribution range of the Huillín accurately, study the structuring of its populations, identify threats it faces today and analyze, based on habitat models, different scenarios for its recovery in Northern Patagonia. We aim that the information obtained will provide a more accurate analysis for the definition of its conservation status and to ensure the success of restoration and conservation programs in the national parks of Northern Patagonia and continental populations of Argentina. Specifically, we seek to determine the current distribution of the Huillín in different river basins through the combined use of standard and novel detection techniques and to analyze occupancy trends over the last 40 years in the Limay River basin. Also, to study the genetic structuring of the species in Northern Patagonia, Argentina. And finally, to use in a combined way appropriate habitat models and connectivity analysis to evaluate different scenarios for the recovery of huillines and to be able to generate recommendations to favor this process.

methodology

To achieve the general objective we worked on transects along the coasts looking for the presence of the species, using different methods: signs, tracking dogs and environmental DNA. In these transects we collected fecal samples in all the transects where they were found, for DNA extraction to determine the genetic structuring of the population within each basin. We also recorded the different characteristics of the coast, to generate models of appropriate habitat and connectivity associating the presence of Huillín with environmental variables.

Scope area

All this work is carried out in the watersheds of the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro and Chubut between 39.70° and 46.00° south, which includes six watersheds, those of the Limay, Manso -including Lago Puelo-, Futaleufú, Chubut, Corcovado, Pico and Senguer rivers. This work is carried out within four National Parks.

partners

- Hernán Pastore - Northern Patagonia Regional Directorate, National Parks Administration (APN).
- Leonardo Buria - Northern Patagonia Regional Directorate, National Parks Administration (APN).

results and progress

In addition to several conference presentations and published scientific articles, the most notable results are those presented in Rosario Ballester's graduate thesis in 2022.

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