Destination: Argentina
Expedition: Tierra del Feugo , at the southern most tip of Argentina, is often referred to as “the ends of the earth”. In fact, Isla de los Estados , which is just off the eastern coast, was immortalized by Jules Verne in his novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World. And Dr. Alejandro Valenzuela has a very good reason to spend his days at this extreme end of the South American continent. The Argentine portion of Patagonia is home to a number of endangered animals. Among them: the southern river otter. As of today only 50 of these critically endangered otters remain. To save them, swift action must be taken. That’s where Dr. Valenzuela comes in. He has dedicated his entire career to saving the otters and this year he has planned two expeditions that will focus on collecting scientific data and visual documentation of the animals in their habitat. His efforts will be part of an ongoing project to raise awareness and inform public policy in order to preserve the species. His hope is that by pairing his research with education and outreach, he will be able to provide a beacon of hope for these charismatic and playful animals at the end of the world.