The **Rewilding Argentina Foundation** has opened a volunteer call to join the **Jaguar Reintroduction Project** on San Alonso Island, within the **Iberá National Park** in Corrientes. The initiative aims to support the **conservation tasks** and monitoring of this emblematic endangered feline.
**The volunteer program will run during July and August**, with the possibility of extension. Selected volunteers will collaborate in various tasks such as **preparing food for the animals**, their daily observation, and facility maintenance.
Additionally, they will need to **record and input data**, **assist in surveillance** through cameras, and actively participate in monitoring the released specimens in the reserve.
The call is aimed at those who wish to engage in a direct conservation experience, dedicating their time to safeguarding the largest terrestrial predator in South America.
## Reintroducing to Restore Balance
The jaguar, a **species declared a National Natural Monument**, had **disappeared from the Iberá region decades ago** due to poaching and habitat loss. Its absence deeply affected the ecological balance of the wetlands in Corrientes.
Thanks to years of work by the Rewilding Argentina Foundation, **the project has successfully reintroduced specimens born in semi-captivity**, allowing some to now move freely in the area.
Citizen participation, through initiatives like volunteering, strengthens the support network for this pioneering program in the recovery of threatened species. Protecting the jaguar not only contributes to biodiversity but also helps preserve the balance of the entire ecosystem.
## The Critical State of the Jaguar in the Region
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is **the largest feline in America** and a key element for the environmental health of the territories where it lives. However, **its population has drastically declined due to illegal hunting**, **habitat loss**, and the fragmentation of its natural corridors.
In Argentina, it is estimated that **there are only about 250 specimens in the wild**, distributed in isolated areas in the **Gran Chaco, the Misiones Rainforest**, and now, thanks to this project, in the **Iberá wetlands**.
**Its presence regulates the populations of other species**, preventing imbalances in the food chain and ensuring the regeneration of natural environments. **The loss of the jaguar has a cascading impact** on **local fauna and flora**.
Conservation and reintroduction projects are essential to prevent total extinction in the country. Through combined efforts between organizations, governments, and the community, **the goal is to restore the ecological role of this vital species** for South American ecosystems.
