The appearance of a jaguar named Ombú on the public trails of the Iberá National Park keeps the situation tense at the gates of the winter holidays. While the Provincial Park operates normally, the national sector continues with partial closures, which prompted a direct complaint from the tourism providers of Carlos Pellegrini to the National Parks Administration (APN).
The economic complaint and the high season
The Iberá Tourism Chamber and the Carlos Pellegrini Guides Association sent a letter to Sergio Álvarez, president of the APN. The signatories, Estrella Losada and Gastón Boccalandro, warn about the strong economic impact: tourism generates almost 90% of local employment, and the lack of predictability drives visitors away.
“People who arrived complain about not being able to enter and many people make the early decision not to come because it is reported in the press that the park is closed,” the document states.
Partial reopening and uncertainty
Currently, the National Park has implemented a partial opening (from 9 to 16 hours) restricted to the entrance viewpoint, keeping the trails closed. Providers criticize the lack of justification for the hours and clarify that the Iberá can be visited with ease: the excursions are still in place and the Provincial Park keeps its trails open normally. The main risk is that news of “park closed” further harms the tourist season.
For its part, the APN reported that it applies an adaptive management strategy:
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If the feline is near the road, only vehicular access is allowed up to the Douglas Tompkins Visitor Center.
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If it moves away, access on foot or by bicycle is allowed up to the viewpoint and the Monte de Los Lapachos trail.
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The number of park rangers, signage, and informational material with safety recommendations has been reinforced.
Disparity of criteria: National vs. Provincial
The conflict exposes a marked management asymmetry in a shared territory:
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National Park: Opts for the preventive closure of public use areas in the presence of the animal.
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Provincial Park: Applies a surgical criterion through antenna monitoring. Only specific trails where the feline is located are closed, and the accompaniment of a trained guide is required. Alejandra Eliciri, director of the provincial area, emphasized that her sector never closed.
Providers demand that the Nation adopt safe visit protocols, similar to those of other protected areas with large felines worldwide.
Lack of training and future challenges
The root of the problem, according to the letter, is the lack of awareness and training for residents and the tourism sector on coexisting with the species after reintroduction projects.
Claudio Bertonatti, a researcher at the Azara Foundation, points out that jaguars and people do not fear each other, which requires clear behavior protocols (such as not fleeing, backing away slowly, and raising arms).
In the long term, Bertonatti warns about unresolved structural problems:
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Lack of infrastructure to address serious attack contingencies.
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Poor routes for a quick evacuation.
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Future risks of livestock or domestic animal predation by elderly specimens.
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Absence of an economic compensation system for affected residents, key to preventing the hunting of the feline.
