Andean Flamingos Achieve Successful Breeding Cycle in Chile’s Atacama Wetlands

The National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) of Chile’s Atacama Region confirmed a successful breeding cycle of the vulnerable Andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus) in the high‑altitude wetlands of the Salar de Maricunga. Monitoring carried out over three consecutive seasons, including aerial surveys with drones, recorded 859 fledglings in 2023 and 832 in 2024. A reproductive failure occurred in 2025 when more than 1,500 eggs were abandoned, but collaboration with the Fundación Symbiótica supplied new equipment for the 2025‑2026 season. The program identified three colonies, with Colony 1 completing the full breeding cycle—nest building, mating, incubation, hatching and chick survival—while other colonies showed severe losses.

The effort highlights the importance of long‑term surveillance and partnership in preserving high‑Andean biodiversity, offering renewed hope for the species across the Southern Cone.