Reserva provincial Telteca, Protected natural park in Mendoza, Argentina.

Telteca Provincial Reserve covers 20,400 hectares of nearly flat desert in northeastern Mendoza, within the Monte de llanuras y mesetas ecoregion. The open woodland is dominated by jarilla hembra and algarrobo dulce, with vidriera, zampa, chañar and retamo in between; dunes and bare sand patches carry usillo and paja voladora. A wooden signboard at the entrance reads "Reserva Natural y Cultural Bosques Telteca" and states that algarrobos 300 years old are protected here on Huarpe land.

The reserve received official protection status in 1985 through Provincial Law 5061, establishing a conservation area within the Monte ecoregion. This designation became a turning point for safeguarding this arid landscape.

The name Telteca comes from Huarpe words: "chrein" or "teñc" meaning ripe, and "chreca" or "teca" meaning fruit or seed, referring to the algarrobo (carob) pods that were a staple for the area's early inhabitants. The reserve sign at the entrance reads "Aquí en tierras Huarpes protegemos algarrobos de 300 años de vida", marking the Huarpe presence and the ancient carob trees.

The reserve lies in northeastern Mendoza, in the Monte plains and plateaus ecoregion, on practically flat, desert terrain with dunes and bare sand flats. The climate is hot, with high summer temperatures, mild winters and very little rainfall. The sources describe no marked trails, so plan your own route and carry water.

The crowned eagle (Harpyhaliaetus coronatus), a threatened raptor, has been recorded here, though the reserve's fauna has never been studied in detail. Reports also list pumas, Geoffroy's cats, pampas cats, maras, vizcachas and the pink fairy armadillo, a small burrowing armadillo.