Lesser Grison Galictis cuja

Argentina

Lesser Grisons, Galictis cuja

I visited Argentina for an hour or two in 2009, when I popped over the border from Brazil at the Iguazu Falls, and saw many Brazilian Cavies and Coatis  plus some Brown Capuchins.  I visited again, for a week of work and mammals, in June 2017 and spent a weekend in Entre Ríos province. I was back in September 2018 to spend 3 days on the Valdes Peninsula. In December 2023 I returned for a week in Buenos Aires Province.

buenos aires Province

Franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei)

A week here along the coast from General Lavalle to Necochea in December 2023 chasing Franciscanas produced that dolphin and 21 other mammal species. The main highways south of BA can be good for several mammals including Lesser Grisons: we saw Brazilian (Southern) Lesser Long-nosed Armadillos (on Route 55) and Molina’s Hog-nosed Skunk (along Highway 2) driving back from Necochea to BA in the daytime.

Refugio El Manatial

Screaming Hairy Armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus)

A night here in 2023 produced Large Hairy, Brazilian Lesser Long-nosed & Screaming Hairy Armadillos, Molina’s Hog-nosed Skunk, Capyara, White-eared Opossum, Geoffroy’s Cat, Coypu, feral Chital Deer and European Hares, Pampas Fox, Brazilian Guinea Pigs and Plains Viscachas. There were Mexican Free-tailed Bats nearby.

General La Valle

Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina)

I spent a day around General La Valle in 2023 and saw Southern Elephant Seals, Large Hairy Armadillo, Molina’s Hog-nosed Skunk, Pampas Foxes, European Hares, Pampas Deer, Talas Tuco-tucos and Azara’s Grass Mice.

Mar Chiquita

Brazilian Guinea Pig (Cavia aperea)

During two nights here in 2023 we saw Franciscanas, South American Sealion, White-eared Opossum, Brazilian Guinea Pigs, South American Fur Seal and a Southern Elephant Seal.

Necochea

Dune – or Southern – Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys australis). Photo Nahuel Aguirre.

A night here in 2023 produced a Dune Tuco-tuco, 20+ Large Hairy Armadillos, Geoffroy’s Cat, Plains Viscacha, White-eared OpossumMolina’s Hog-nosed SkunkPampas Foxes, European Hares, Brazilian Guinea PigsCoypu, South American Sealions and Capybaras.

Chubut province

Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunk, Conepatus humboldtii

Gaiman

Large Hairy Armadillo, Chaetophractus villosus

I spent a night here in 2018, and saw a Large Hairy Armadillo, Coypu, European Hares, Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunks and a Grey Leaf-eared Mouse.

The Valdes Peninsula

Patagonian Mara, Dolichotis patagonum

I spent two nights on the beautiful peninsula in 2018 and saw Larger Hairy Armadillos, European HaresSouthern Mountain Cavys, Patagonian Maras, South American Sea-LionsSouthern Elephant SealsHumboldt’s Hog-nosed SkunksSouthern Right Whales and many many Guanacos.

Entre Ríos

Capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

Ceibas

Red Hocicudo, Oxymycterus rufus

In the gorgeous wetlands near Ceibas I saw some Coypu, and caught a Red Hocicudo and Kemp’s Grass Mouse (Deltamys kempi).

Ceibas wetlands

El Palmar National Park

Lesser Grison, Galictis cuja

I spent a couple of nights in the lovely El Palmar National Park and saw Lesser Grisons, Geoffroy’s Cats, a Six-Banded ArmadilloPlains Viscacha, Crab-eating and Pampas Foxes, Capybara and Grey Brocket Deer plus introduced Chital. All these species seem quite common in the park, even the grisons!

Plains Viscacha, Lagostomus maximus

Some small mammal traps around the Aurora del Palmar hotel caught four species: Crafty Vesper Mouse, Red Hocicudo, Azara’s Grass Mouse and Black-footed Pygmy Rice Rat.

Pampas Fox, Lycalopex gymnocercus

Community Reports

Buenos Aires Province, 2023: Jon Hall, 1 week & 22 species including Geoffroy’s Cat, Screaming Hairy & Brazilian Long-nosed Armadillos and Franciscana.

Northwest Argentina, 2023: Rob & Remy Jansen, 1 month & 15 species including Robust Tuco-tuco, Patagonian Mara and Southern Highland Yellow-toothed Cavy.

Chiloe and Patagonia, 2023: Matt and Maureen Hart, 6 weeks & 27 speces including Darwin’s Fox, Southern Huemul, Marine Otter and Puma.

Peninsula Valdes and Northern Argentina, 2022Royle Safaris, 2 weeks & 31 species including Orcas (hunting sea lions off the beach), Patagonian Mara and Geoffroy’s Cat.

Northeast Argentina, 2022: Rob Jansen, 1 month & 19 species including Plains Viscacha and Lesser Grison.

Patagonia, 2021: Rob Jansen, 1 month & 10 species including PumaMagellanic Tuco Tuco and Wolffsohn’s Viscacha.

Coastal Argentina, 2022: Rob Jansen, 5 weeks & 17 species including Large Hairy Armadillo and Franciscana.

Argentina and Southern Chile, 2019-20: Jono Dashper, 4 months & 54 species including Bunny RatAtlantic Bamboo RatGeoffroy’s Cat5 Armadillo species and Paraguayan Hairy Dwarf Porcupine.

Central & South Chile (and southern Argentina), 2019: Jono Dashper, 2 months & many mammals including Kodkod, Large Hairy Armadillo and multiple Monitos del Monte.

The Valdes Peninsula, September 2018: Jon Hall, 3 nights & 11 species including Large Hairy Armadillo and Patagonian Mara.

Argentina, 2018: Dominique Brugiere, 3 weeks with species including Franciscana (La Plata) DolphinsGeoffroy’s CatLesser Grison and Southern Long-nosed Armadillo.

Entre Rios Province, June 2017: Jon Hall, 3 nights & 14 species including Geoffroy’s Cat, Lesser Grison and Red Hocicudo.

Brazil & Argentina, 2015: Phil Telfer, 18 days and some great species including, in Argentina,Geoffroy’s Cat, Lesser Grison and Plains Viscacha.

Argentina, 2014: Hugh Buck, 1 week mainly birding & 5 mammals including Lesser Grison and Patagonian Mara.

El Palmar National Park, 2013: Steve Morgan, 5 days & 11 species including as many as 6 Geoffroy’s Cats, Pampas Fox and Neotropical River Otter.

Argentina, 2013: Richard Webb, 2 weeks & 17 species with some great ones including Pampas (probably) & Geoffroy’s Cats, Lesser Grisons and Tawny Tuco-tuco.

Argentina, Bolivia & Chile, 2013: Janco Van Gelderen, 6 weeks & 19 species including Geoffroy’s Cat, Mountain Vizcacha, Mara and other goodies including Pumas. Great report.

Argentina and Chile, 2010: Stefanie Lahaye and Tim Lieben, 5 weeks & 39 identified species including a Tawny Tuco-Tuco, Mountain Viscacha and a Six-banded Armadillo.

Argentina and Southern Chile, 2010: Fiona Reid’s Wildlife Encounters, 2 weeks & 25 species including Puma, Mara, Pichi and Greater Hairy Armadillo.

Argentina, 2009-10: Trevor Hardaker, 2 weeks & 14 species including Patagonian Mara.

North West Argentina, 2009: Richard Webb, 2 weeks & 18 mammals or so, including Jaguarundi and 2 species of Tuco-tucos.

Orcas, Peninsula Valdez, 2007: Andrew Stanbury’s account of watching the famous Orcas at Punta Norte.

Argentina, 2005: Steve Anyon-Smith, 4 weeks & 18 mammals.

Around the World (Chile and Argentina), 2004: Richard Webb, 4 weeks & 18 species.

Also See

Help on Deer ID from NW Argentina, January 2024

Help on Cavy ID from NW Argentina, January 2024

Resources

Categorization of Argentinian Mammals (in Spanish) a very useful website with detailed info on the range of all Argentina’s mammals.

Mammal list for El Palmar National Park.

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