Fauna

Flora

FAUNA IN MENDOZA

Fauna in Mendoza is distributed according to the characteristics of the weather, the altitude, the vegetation, the degree of the soil's aridity, etc.

The High Mountain
This region is situated over 3000 metres above sea level, up to 4500 metres. It has a meagre fauna due to the lack of food, extreme temperatures and the presence of snow and windstorms. The condor stands out amongst the birds. The guanacos and pumas represent the mammals.

The Mountain
There are numerous valleys and ravines below 3000 metres where fauna gets better refuges and more food than at the high summits.

Birds: the cordilleran small rhea, the small puna tinamou, the cortacorriente duck, the hooded duck, the condor, the mora eagle, the puna hawk, the kestrel and the Virginian owl stand out.

Mammals: there are guanacos, pumas, red foxes, guinea pigs, mice, European hares and two bat species, the common and the small big-eared ones.

Reptiles: there are the lizard of thorny tail, the fer de lance and the mice-eating snake.

Pre Sierra Zone
It has fauna similar to that of the mount. There are the common rhea, the mora eagle, the puna hawk, the little falcon and the rhea. The characteristic mammals are the puma, the grey fox, the pampas cat and the zorrilla.

The Mount
Extensive plains in the Eastern part of Mendoza conform this area, somewhat sandy, with radical clusters here and there of small woods of locust tree and chañar.

Birds: here we have the rhea, the puna tinamou, the small tinamou, the crested tinamou, the common rhea, the caracara, the puna hawk and the kestrel.

Mammals: we have bats, hairy armadillos, grey foxes and pampas cats.

Reptiles: there are lizards, green caimans, vizcacha-eating boas and land turtles.

Region of La Payunia
Amongst the species living in this arid environment, modelled by volcanic activity and vegetation adapted to the lack of water, the most characteristic are:

Birds: the small rhea or choique, black-headed vulture, common rhea, mora eagle, puna hawk, the crested tinamou, bigheaded plover, chingolo and the calandra lark.

Mammals: the ground hogs, the Patagonian piches, hares and European rabbits, maras or Patagonian hares, vizcachas, chinchillas, guinea pigs, tunduques, guanacos, pumas, Patagonian zorrilla or chiñes and grey foxes.

Reptiles: the fer the lance, the mice-eating serpent, the matuasto and the lizard.

Amphibious: the most common are the Andean toad and frog.

Region of Aquatic Environments
This region has a great avifauna represented by flamingos, coscoroba swans, black-necked swans, silver macaes, witch herons, mora herons, American coots, nesting ducks, diver ducks, cappuccino ducks, and common and royal Southern lapwings, in view that it comprises marshes, estuaries and natural lagoons, such as Llancanelo, Laguna Blanca, Laguna de Los Alamos, La Salinilla, the swamps of San Miguel, and the wetlands of Atuel and Salado.

FLORA IN MENDOZA

Cordilleran Zone
The so-called characteristic flora of the Andean highlands develops in the zone of the main cordillera, the frontal, and the pre cordillera. Vegetation is scarce to the point of disappearing above 3000 metres heights, where there are only ample mountain zones with perennial snow. The coirones, which are hard grasses resistant to winter snowfalls, drought and cold winds, grow above 3900 metres of altitude. Small oases on the highlands, called wetlands, form around the mountain streams and on the slopes, where numerous cold-resistant aquatic plants grow.

Zone of the Valleys
Vegetation in the valleys and dry depressions in the Centre of the Province is that of the arid steppe, with abundant shrubs such as jansias, breas, brooms, atamisques and chañares. There are also ecological reserves with autochthonous woods of several species of locust trees.

High Plateau of La Payunia
Vegetation proper of the shrubby steppe, similar to that at the Patagonian deserts, grows on the volcanic high plateau of La Payunia. Here grows the solum, a bush adapted to droughts, accompanied by different sorts of grasses.

The Salt Deposits
There is a vegetation of saline pastures composed by grasses adapted to these characteristics prospering on salty terrains, especially in the Northeastern sector of Mendoza.

The Dry Wood
We can watch a dry wood on the Eastern plains of Mendoza, where the locust trees, capable of enduring the aridity of the ground, are predominant. Fern leaf acacias and other trees and bushes, such as the broom, the chañar and the jarilla, grow here as well, whilst the caldén grows in the Southern part of the Province.