Threatened Palms

Palm Savannah is a threatened habitat.  Today, only isolated fragments remain.

Around 80 per cent of land in Uruguay is used for agriculture, most of it for cattle ranching. Intensive grazing and deforestation has destroyed much of the palm savanna that once covered the south of Brazil, Uruguay and north-east Argentina.

 

Yatay Palm trees

Conserving native tree species in South America is important. For the Yatay Palm it’s vital as there are so few left.  Conservation of the Palm savannah is crucial in maintaining biological diversity and ecological integrity as the trees produce edible fruits, food for many birds and mammals.

 

Yatay Palms

The best place to see the Yatay Palm is the El Palmar National Park, located in the province of Entre Rios, Argentina.  El Palmar is also a great place for wildlife photography, it is situated on the banks of the great river Uruguay and sometimes the mist rises off the river at dawn and drifts between the Palm forests, creating a sublime atmospheric setting for the magnificent trees.

El Palmar is also an ideal place for bird watching and has a good camp site in the park where food, showers and washing facilities are available.

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