Chile Announces Rare Rusa Protection Area Threatened With Extinction

Rusa huemul. (Wikimedia Commons/Photogalilea)

JAKARTA - Cili launched a program to protect the endangered southern deer huemul on Monday, by creating a biological corridor covering areas recently donated by the family of late philanthropist and North Face founder Douglas Tompkins.

The Rewilding Chile Foundation, inherited by Tompkins, along with Chile's Ministry of Agriculture, said that "the Huemul National Corridor" would consist of about 16 state protected areas connected to other private conservation initiatives.

"These public-private initiatives seek to reduce threats to species, strengthen the population of hubemuls in the main conservation area of the Patagonian Park Route," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that it will also build the world's first Rehabilitation, Rescue and Reproduction Center for huemul deer.

Last week, Kristine Tompkins, co-founder and president of Rewilding Chile, met with President Gabriel Boric to donate 93,492 hectares (231,024 hectares) for the construction of a new national park in the Magallanes region.

"This is one of the reasons why this park is so important, not only for Chile but also for the world," said Kristine.

Kristine added that the South Chile region is an important source of carbon absorption, because of the peat swamp and its untouched forests.

"This is a 'big goal' for conservation and fighting the climate crisis," he said.

Huemul is one of two native deer species found only in the forests of Argentina and Chile. However, habitat degradation has reduced the hubemul to less than 1 percent of its original population, according to ministry data.

Adult Huemul, also known as gluemuls, can reach a length of about 1.55 meters (5.1 feet), 80-90 cm (31.5-35.5 inches) high with a weight of up to 68 kg (150 lb). They are herbivores and live for about 14 years.

Although originally found in the central Chilean area, huemul can now be seen mainly in the southernmost regions of Aysen and Magallanes.

"Species like huemul will not survive if all of their places are not connected, and this is a very broad vision that will serve as a model in many parts of the world and will be an act that saves this species," said Kristine.