Within the framework of the World Environment Month, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Jujuy carried out a new conservation action by releasing rehabilitated specimens of wildlife.
In this case, it involved a southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) and several scorpion mud turtles (Kinosternon scorpioides), also known as mud turtles or “frasquito”. This release took place after their rehabilitation at the Native Wildlife Care Center (CAFAJu).
The release was carried out in riparian areas of the San Francisco River, near Palma Sola, within the natural distribution area of these species.
Comprehensive rehabilitation and veterinary monitoring of wildlife
The animals arrived at CAFAJu in different conditions:
- The southern three-banded armadillo, rescued with specific clinical needs.
- The turtles, affected by low body weight and signs of environmental stress.
During their stay, they underwent comprehensive physical examinations under anesthesia, blood analysis, fecal evaluation, and a specific nutritional plan to restore their health, as detailed by the Director of Biodiversity and Protected Areas, Malvina Quintana.
“We implemented rigorous protocols to ensure that the specimens were fit to return to nature, without health risks to other species,” she stated.
An action in line with international biodiversity agreements
The Secretary of Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Ana Rodríguez, valued the action as part of the commitment made by the province after the latest Biodiversity COP in Colombia, where the UN urged to work for “peace with nature.” “From Jujuy, we are taking on that challenge with concrete actions,” she affirmed.
She also emphasized the role of the Ministry in the fight against illegal trafficking, domestication, poaching, and prohibited possession of wildlife, all practices sanctioned by law and that seriously affect vulnerable species.
Threatened species: ecological value and urgency of protection
- The southern three-banded armadillo is classified as “near threatened”.
- The scorpion mud turtles, on the other hand, are classified as species of unknown status, reinforcing the need for monitoring and preservation.
The release site was carefully selected for its environmental quality and optimal conditions for the subsistence and adaptation of these specimens.
Conserving is acting
The Ministry highlighted that these actions are part of an active and sustained conservation policy: the recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration of native wildlife is a provincial priority linked to the defense of natural ecosystems.
