Date: Tuesday 20 September 2022

Trajectory:  Paso de la Patria – Roque Saenz Peña

Distance covered: 260 km

Managed to make contact with Catalina of the the Animal Reserve in Paso de la Patria, but had to wait as she was held up in traffic. Worth waiting, though and by 09.30 I was at the Centre.

Very interesting visit, and Catalina took me through the cages and compounds where they are looking after damaged and rescued animals. Nearby is a separate re-wilding section which quite rightly I didn’t see – this is for animals considered candidates for re-releasing, who are kept out of sight of humans.

I did however use my telephoto lens to snap an endangered red macaw in the rewilding compound. I don’t think I’ve caused any damage as I was a very long way away.

One of the animals I did see in the rescue section was an elderly jaguar, blind in one eye, and living out her days in peace and comfort. 

I walked a trail here and saw some indigenous but rare trees, all marked with name and species, and a few birds: from here my bird of the day, a greater ani (I think!). [Ed: it was a smooth billed ani, the smaller one].

The trail had a few ‘thoughts’, too – this one from Atahualpa Yupanqui.

Another appropriate thought from the Centre grounds ….

… where Catalina was showing a group of five-year-olds around. Hopefully the seeds of their visit will germinate.

I also saw oranges everywhere – or perhaps they were lemons – it’s hard to tell up here.

Visit over, I drove on to Roque Saenz Peña but my satnav tried to take me somewhere else and I had a fight to get back on the road. I won – I simply turned it off. The drive was short and uneventful, but I did stop to see a southern tamandua (aka lesser anteater) who had also lost a fight with a motor vehicle. These are beautiful animals, and roadkill like this is always distressing but I like to record what I see. I have however blurred some of the injuries).

Got to Roque Saenz Peña about 17.00. I had decided to treat myself to a little luxury as some uncertain days and nights lie ahead. My hotel of choice was full, but the second choice, just as good and half the price had one bed left so I grabbed it. 

Tomorrow on to an alarmingly named rendezvous with Luis Dellamea at Paso del Infierno, and the beginning of a new adventure.