Islote Lobos National Park

Did You Know?

• The park's terrestrial part corresponds to the ecoregion of plains and plateaus.
• The area had provincial protection since 1977 before becoming a national park.

General characteristics and history

The reserve was created in 1977 by provincial decree No. 1402/77 to preserve species and genetic diversity. Initially estimated at about 2,400 hectares, the protected area was later defined as a rectangle roughly 8,000 meters north-south along the coastline and about 5 km wide, with 1 km on land and 4 km over the sea, giving a surface of 4,000 hectares. The current area is 19,079.20 hectares. The six rocky promontories—Lobos, La Pastosa, Ortiz Norte, Ortiz Sur, Redondo, and de los Pájaros—are partly covered with sedimentary material and emerge close to shore; at low tide they connect to the mainland, exposing rocky or sandy surfaces, pools, saltwater wells, and isolated rocks. On 30 July 2020 the conversion to a national park was announced. The province of Río Negro ceded the territory to the nation through a provincial law on 20 November of the same year, and on 16 June 2022 the National Congress accepted the cession and created the new national park.