Patagonian Steppe

The Patagonian Steppe is home to large wild populations of guanacos—a camelid species closely related to the llama—as well as lesser rheas, maras (Patagonian hares), and pumas. The cold desert's sparse vegetation also supports foxes, armadillos, and over 60 resident bird species adapted to the harsh, windswept conditions.

The Andes mountain range creates a powerful rain shadow effect, blocking moisture from the Pacific Ocean from reaching the Argentine side, resulting in less than 200 mm of annual rainfall in many areas. Constant westerly winds, some of the strongest in the world, sweep across the flat terrain with few natural barriers to slow them down.

The Patagonian Steppe covers a vast area of southern Argentina, stretching from the eastern foothills of the Andes to the Atlantic coast across provinces including Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, and Santa Cruz. It represents the largest arid region in Argentina and occupies the eastern portion of the broader Patagonia region.

The steppe is dominated by low shrubs, tough bunchgrasses like coirón, and cushion plants adapted to the cold desert climate and poor soils. Vegetation cover is sparse—often below 50 percent—because of the extreme aridity, persistent winds, and grazing pressure from introduced livestock such as sheep.