Ischigualasto / Talampaya National Park

Talampaya National Park is spread over a large area. And it belongs to the desert area in Argentina and holds the complete fossil record of the continent known to humankind. The fossils belong to a period that existed almost 245-208 million years ago on earth. There are several geological formations in the parks, and they consist of various fossils. The fossils include primitive mammals, reptiles like the dinosaurs, and plants, which discloses the evolution of vertebrates. The nature of palaeo-environments of the Triassic period can also be predicted from these valuable fossils.

Location of the Talampaya National Park

The Ischigualasto-Talampaya National Park is situated in central Argentina’s northern region. It combines two protected areas that are adjoined to each other. The area was not effortlessly reachable before a road was set up until 1979. Historically, human activity was limited to the usage of indigenous resources. The names of the areas are Ischigualasto Provincial Park and Talampaya National Park in La Rioja Province. The total asset is located inside Argentina’s area of the High Monte ecoregion. This landmass is the outcome of erosion by wind and water. There is a broad range of temperature differences between day and night. It is located amid the stage of a gorgeous mountain landscape. 

This area is a treasure of science, and it also has a huge significance around the world. It nurtures the Ischigualasto-Villa Basin, which houses the continental dregs. This area houses an extraordinarily complete sequence and record of animal and plant life belonging to millions of years in the past. It discloses the genesis of reptiles and mammals. Several clear-cut sedimentary formations consist of the petrified residues of a broad range of hereditary plants and animals. The advancement of vertebrates, information on the primitive environments of millions of years ago, and the starting of the “Period of the Dinosaurs” can be researched through the fossils. The present scientific researches are crucial for understanding evolutionary biology and palaeontology.

Features of the Talampaya National Park

• In the dry streambed of the Talampaya River, fossils of dinosaurs who used to live here millions of years ago were found.
• The formation of rock walls of the Talampaya Formation.
• The remains of the settlements of indigenous people, e.g. the Puerta del Cañón petroglyphs.
• A botanical garden consisting of the local flora at the canyon.
• Regional fauna, including several hares, guanacos, foxes, maras, and condors.

Integrity

The property surrounds the Ischigualasto-Villa basin. This place has a fantastic landscape with elements such as – erosional forms, continuous barred rocks, various characteristic features, and outwash areas. The official conservation status of the conserved regions has enough legal recognition. The borders of the properties were not fixed according to the ecosystem. Previously it was unknown that this property was donated to secure the ecosystem of El Monte and its animal and plant species. The ecological merits are under various conditions, such as livestock grazing, poaching, and invasion of exotic species.

Protection and Management

Though it is public property, it has no perpetual dwellers. It has the advantage of sufficient legal protection. The areas are suitably zoned into sizes varying from tight security to different restriction zones. The provincial constitution set up the Provincial Park at Ischigualasto and the Provincial Park of Talampaya. In 1997, Talampaya got the status of a National Park as an issue to national law as a part of the NPA System. Argentina’s NPA operates it through specialised trained rangers and technical staff. The main funding is supplied for equipment and infrastructure. The zonal APN dept. Supplies scientific and technical support. It takes support from tourists at zonal and national levels and several research institutions. 

The planned process is underway to upgrade the effective management plan till 2007 because the governing purposes expressed in the prior drafting session can be reconsidered.

Conclusion

Talampaya National Park is important for scientific research. It has essential archaeological importance, such as the presence of thousands of-year-old petroglyphs. These unique landscape elements include sandstone cliffs in Talampaya National Park. In the Provincial Park at Ischigualasto, white and poly-coloured dregs create a special kind of landscape. This remarkable landscape is renowned as the “Valley of the Moon”. The site comprises ample desert vegetation, and Xerophyte bushes can characterise the foliage with scattered trees. The surroundings house several endemic and rare species of animals and plants. This place was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.