Eduardo Abaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, Nature reserve in Potosí, Bolivia
Eduardo Abaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve covers 714,745 hectares in southwestern Bolivia and stretches between 4,200 and 6,000 meters of altitude across salt lakes, volcanic cones, and mineral-rich basins. The landscape shows red and green waters beside white salt expanses, with geysers and rock formations carved from eroded volcanic stone in between.
The government created the protected area in December 1973 to preserve Laguna Colorada and its flamingo populations. Additional decrees in May and June 1981 expanded the area to its current size and included other lagoons and volcanoes.
The name honors Eduardo Abaroa, who became a Bolivian symbol in this region during a historical conflict. Visitors today see mostly the pink flamingos feeding on algae in the mineral waters, reinforcing the red tones of the lagoons.
Visitors reach the area with four-wheel drive vehicles from Uyuni across the salt desert or from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile via Laguna Verde. The best time to visit is between April and November, when less rain falls and roads are easier to cross.
Three flamingo species breed here simultaneously in the mineral lagoons, including the rare James flamingo, found only in a few highland areas of the Andes. The red algae the birds feed on color both the water and the feathers of the animals.
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