Wildlife of
Uruguay

Primary Threats

• Native Pampas grasslands have been extensively converted or ecologically simplified by pasture improvement (reseeding, fertilization), crop expansion, and plantation forestry (eucalyptus/pine), reducing habitat for grassland specialists such as ground-nesting birds. Wetlands and riparian habitats are also fragmented by drainage, channelization, and changes in river margins for agriculture and infrastructure.
• Cropland expansion and intensification (notably in the west and center-south) increases pressure on remaining native grasslands and river margins. In the east, rice cultivation and associated water management can alter wetland hydrology and affect Bañados del Este and connected lagoon systems when poorly managed.
• While native forest cover is limited, large-scale plantation forestry has expanded in suitable soils, replacing mosaics of native grassland and low-intensity ranchlands with simplified tree monocultures, affecting grassland biodiversity, fire regimes, and water balance at the catchment scale.
• Nutrient and pesticide runoff from agriculture and dairy operations contributes to eutrophication in rivers, reservoirs, and coastal lagoons, with episodic harmful algal blooms affecting recreation, fisheries, and aquatic biodiversity. Urban and industrial effluents in some basins can compound water-quality stress, especially near the Río de la Plata coastal zone.
• Hydrological alterations from drainage, levees, irrigation infrastructure, and water withdrawals modify wetlands and floodplains, influencing breeding and feeding habitat for waterbirds and altering connectivity among lagoons and marshes. Riverbank stabilization and channel modifications can reduce habitat complexity for fish and riparian fauna.
• Projected shifts toward more intense rainfall events and drought periods affect grassland productivity, wetland hydroperiods, and fire risk. Sea-level rise and stronger storm surges threaten low-lying coastal dunes, beaches, and estuarine margins, increasing erosion and salinization risks in coastal wetlands.
• Invasive mammals (e.g., wild boar and other feral species) and invasive plants can degrade grasslands and wetlands through rooting, grazing, and competition, affecting ground-nesting birds and wetland vegetation structure. In freshwater systems, invasive aquatic species can alter food webs and habitat quality.
• Fishing pressure in the Río de la Plata estuary and along the Atlantic coast can reduce key stocks and increase bycatch risk for non-target species. Small-scale coastal fisheries can interact with threatened marine fauna (e.g., sea turtles and dolphins) via entanglement in nets and lines.
• Coastal tourism and urban growth around beach towns can disturb nesting/roosting shorebirds, degrade dune systems through trampling and off-road vehicles, and increase light/noise impacts. Recreational use of wetlands and river margins can also disturb waterbird colonies during breeding seasons.
• Road expansion and traffic increase wildlife mortality (especially for mammals and reptiles) and fragment grassland and wetland landscapes. Port and coastal infrastructure around the Río de la Plata and Atlantic shoreline can affect sediment dynamics and estuarine/coastal habitats.
• Although regulated, illegal or poorly controlled hunting can affect waterbirds and some mammals in rural areas, particularly in wetlands and along river corridors. Enforcement challenges may be acute in remote marshlands and during seasonal movements.
• Predation on livestock by native carnivores (locally, smaller felids and foxes) can trigger retaliatory killing and broader intolerance toward wildlife. Conflicts can intensify where ranching interfaces with remnant native habitat and wetlands.