The Peña Rajada canyon is one of the most impressive places in the department and home to the Andean condor, a national symbol and a species in a vulnerable conservation status.

On November 20, the Autonomous Municipal Government of Yunchará approved the creation of the Peña Rajada Municipal Protected Area for the conservation of its biological diversity and paleontological and cultural heritage. This was established by the Municipal Mayor Agustín Casazola Fernández and the president of the Municipal Council Ema Nélida Gutiérrez through a municipal autonomous law.

The creation of this Municipal Protected Area was a result of the actions that PROMETA (Environmental Protection Tarija) carries out in the southern highlands with the support of various allies, including the important environmental organization Andes Amazon Fund - AAF.

In past years PROMETA supported the creation of two protected areas in Tupiza and Cotagaita, rescuing for Bolivia the Andean guanaco, a species in danger of extinction; this year its efforts focused on working with the municipality to consolidate Peña Rajada to protect the Andean condor.

The Andean condor is one of the most symbolically important species for Bolivia's natural heritage. Its population has been declining in South America in recent years. In Tarija alone, 35 poisoned carcasses were found in 2021 and it is estimated that there are currently no more than 1388 specimens in the whole country. In 2020, the species was classified as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The main threats it faces are the loss of its habitat and the ingestion of toxic bait.

This bird found a safe place to live in the vicinity of the Peña Rajada canyon. A quiet place untouched by humans is essential for its survival and reproduction, as it is only capable of having a young every two years. Similarly, this place is home to other species such as the Andean fox, the puma or the vicuña, a wide variety of flora and archaeological and paleontological remains.

A Municipal Protected Area is a natural space managed by the municipal authorities in coordination with other stakeholders to protect its fauna and flora from any damage it may suffer, especially from human intervention (although there may also be efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change, for example).

Tarija Municipal Law No. 252 establishes that the principles underlying the importance of these areas are harmony with environmental rights, balance with urban planning or land use criteria, the common good and the interest of society, and the promotion of participatory interculturalism. Thus, the development of urbanization and irregular settlements is prohibited in these areas, especially those that affect any water source.

In order to make this protected area possible, PROMETA collaborated with the municipality and the communities to make possible activities such as research studies on the condor population, technical files to justify its creation, socialization and consultation with the communities of Yunchará, and the development of communication products to publicize the initiative.