The area is home to endemic species, including the Juan Fernández fur seal. The initiative aims to protect more than 50 percent of Chile’s waters. The Chilean seal population has recovered to around 200,000 after once being near extinction.

Credits: Unsplash; Author: matt-hardy;

The reserve covers about 337,000 sq km, with plans to expand it to nearly 1 million square kilometres. The plan follows long-term efforts by local communities and conservation groups, and the protected zone would become one of the largest no-take marine reserves globally.