FAUNA IN MENDOZA

Fauna in Mendoza is distributed, as expected, 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 m altitude, up to 4500 m. It has a meagre fauna due to the lack of food, extreme temperatures and the presence of snow and windstorms. The condor singles out amongst the birds. The guanacos and pumas are the main mammals.

There are numerous valleys and ravines below 3000 m where the fauna will get 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 mountain virginian owl stand out.

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

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

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

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

Birds: in this area lives the rhea, the puna tinamou, the small tinamou, the crested tinamou, the common rhea, the caracara, the puna hawk and the kestrel.

Mammals: the region has bats, hairy armadillos, grey foxes and pampas cats.

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

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

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

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

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

Amphibious: the most usually found are the Andean toad and frog.

Region of Aquatic Environments
This region has a great list of 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. It makes for a very diverse population, due to the fact that the region 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.