Patagonian Desert Patagonian Desert The Patagonian Desert, also known as the Patagonia Desert, Patagonian Steppe, or Magellanic Steppe, is the largest desert in Argentina and is the 8th largest desert in the world by area, occupying 673,000 square kilometers (260,000 mi). It is located primarily in Argentina with small parts in Chile and is bounded by the Andes, to its west, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east, in the region of Patagonia, southern Argentina. To the north the desert grades into the Cuyo Region and the Pampas. The central parts of the steppe are dominated by shrubby and herbaceous plant species
Patagonian grasslands The region holds very diverse fauna. Mammals include Patagonian mara ("Dolichotis patagonum"), southern viscacha ("Lagidium viscacia"), Wolffsohn's viscacha ("Lagidium wolffsohni"), Patagonian weasel ("Lyncodon patagonicus"), Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk ("Conepatus humboldtii"), cougar ("Puma concolor"), Falkland Islands wolf ("Dusicyon australis") and guanaco ("Lama guanicoe"). Threatened species include Patagonian mara ("Dolichotis patagonum"), guanaco, South American gray fox ("Lycalopex griseus") and South American fur seal ("Arctocephalus australis"). Bird include Darwin's rhea ("Rhea pennata"), Patagonian tinamou ("Tinamotis ingoufi"), black-chested buzzard-eagle ("Geranoaetus melanoleucus"), peregrine falcon ("Falco peregrinus"), band-winged nightjar ("Systellura longirostris"), Patagonian mockingbird ("Mimus patagonicus") and Patagonian yellow finch ("Sicalis lebruni"). Endemic birds found north of the