Chile boosts huemul protection with new rescue center and drone monitoring

On the International Huemul Day, Chile inaugurated a Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve. The facility, funded by Fundación Huilo Huilo and the petroleum company Copec, will treat injured native animals such as pumas, birds and foxes, reducing the need for long transports to urban clinics. Minister of the Environment Francisca Toledo highlighted the critical status of the huemul, estimating only 1,000‑1,500 individuals remain in the wild across Chile and Argentina, and praised the public‑private partnership that made the center possible.

In Patagonia, park staff from Lanín and Nahuel Huapi tested drones equipped with thermal sensors to locate and count huemuls, a technique that overcomes the difficulty of monitoring the species in remote, forested terrain. The trial, conducted with the support of CONICET, WCS Argentina and Fundación Huilo Huilo, demonstrated that thermal imaging can detect the animals without relying on visible light.

Separately, the outdoor brand Patagonia released a short documentary featuring trail runner Felipe Cancino and biologist Peyton Thomas running through Fundo Pucheguín. The film aims to raise awareness of huemul habitat conservation and the recent acquisition of the land for a long‑term ecological corridor.

Together, these initiatives—new rescue infrastructure, advanced drone monitoring, and public outreach—represent a coordinated effort to halt the decline of the endangered huemul in the Andes.