A new specimen of jaguar in Formosa was recorded by trap cameras during the last month, as part of the survey project carried out in a key conservation corridor in the Patiño Department.
The confirmation of this news was made by the Ministry of Production and Environment and the Yaguareté Project of the Atlantic Forest Research Center (CeIBA-CONICET). Additionally, a large number of residents and producers collaborated and participated in the project.
As reported by the Undersecretariat of Natural Resources, Planning, and Environmental Quality to the Formosa News Agency (AGENFOR), this record of jaguar in Formosa was obtained during the review of the Yaguareté Project’s trap cameras, carried out recently. The photographic events correspond to different moments captured between August and November.
This is the fifth jaguar recorded in Formosa using this method in the province and the eighth in the Argentine Chaco Region.
As in each record, the specimens are identified by the pattern of spots on their fur, similar to fingerprints in humans, as it is unique in each individual. This has confirmed that it is a male jaguar that was not known until now.
In this regard, the Minister of Production and Environment, Mr. Lucas Rodríguez, stated: “The constant appearances of new specimens of this species within the provincial territory, which increase as new registration sites and territorial coverage are added, demonstrate the success of the strategy implemented by the Government of Formosa through territorial planning. It is evident that the system of biological corridors aimed at preserving the habitats of our emblematic native fauna is effective.”
“The extensive area of preserved forest mass and environments related to wetlands and watercourses such as the Bañado La Estrella and the streams that feed it provide protection and allow the jaguar to establish and reproduce in the provincial territory,” he emphasized.
“Formosa can proudly say that it has all the mammals of our rich biodiversity in its ecosystems, unlike other places in the country that cannot say the same. In the case of the jaguar, its importance lies in the fact that its presence indicates a high degree of environmental conservation, as this animal is at the top of the food chain. Therefore, we must be vigilant in protecting it,” he added.
It was highlighted that the conservation policies of the Formosa Model will continue to work with a commitment to biodiversity conservation. “Efforts will be made to continue involving producers and residents who share the territory with these large felines. In addition, the monitoring work in the biological corridors of the province will be expanded,” he emphasized.
Why is jaguar conservation important?
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest feline in the Americas and the third-largest globally, after the Asian tiger and the lion. In Argentina, this species is critically endangered due to habitat loss and fragmentation, road kills, and illegal hunting of both the feline and its prey.
As the top predator in the ecosystem, the jaguar plays a fundamental ecological role in regulating the populations of other vertebrates, especially large herbivores. Therefore, its presence is a good indicator of ecosystem health. It is estimated that there are fewer than 250 individuals left in the country, with fewer than 20 in the Chaco Region, distributed across the provinces of Chaco, Formosa, Salta, and Santiago del Estero.
The jaguar is a Provincial Natural Monument (Law 1673) and a National Natural Monument (Law 25,463), and its hunting is strictly prohibited.
According to the categorization by the Argentine Society for the Study of Mammals (SAREM) in the Red Book of Endangered Mammals of Argentina, the species is critically endangered in the country.
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