Environmental organizations have filed a serious complaint that raises alarms: they warn about a network of jaguar hunting. The criminals would operate in Bolivia and Argentina.
This is a new threat against the already delicate presence of this feline on the continent. Both in the country and in the region, numerous efforts for conservation and reproduction of the animal are being carried out, as it is in critical danger of extinction.
They denounce a network of jaguar hunting
A formal complaint was filed in Bolivia against the network of operators of the Club de Caza&Safari Argentina, owned by Jorge Néstor Noya, a businessman and hunter.
A few months ago, hunters killed a jaguar in Formosa.
They are accused of “biocide against jaguars” (Jaguar or Panthera onca) in Bolivian territory.
The organizations and even a park ranger who was fired, according to his statement after filing the complaint, warned about the “indiscriminate hunting” within the San MatÃas National Park. This protected area is located in the department of Santa Cruz.
The investigation, involving prosecutors from Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia, led to the dismantling of the network thanks to coordinated operations by environmental and police agencies.
During the multiple operation, numerous hunting trophies, specialized equipment, documentation, and vehicles were seized. Despite these advances, there is still concern that this network may remain active.
The jaguar, in critical danger: main threats
The threats to the jaguar.
In Argentina, the jaguar is protected by the National Law 22,421 on Wildlife Conservation, at the national level.
On the other hand, multiple regulations issued in various provinces reinforce this protection, in addition to being declared a national natural monument in 2001.
It is one of the 10 species of wild felines (along with the puma, the jaguarundi, the ocelot, the margay, and the oncilla, as well as the oncilla, the Andean cat, the mountain cat, and the grass cat) that inhabit Argentina.
However, it is a critically endangered species, a victim of illegal hunting and habitat loss, among other threats such as roadkill, which has increased in recent years.
How many jaguars are there in the country
In the early 20th century, their habitat reached as far as Argentine Patagonia, but since then their distribution has decreased by 95%.
In the country, there are less than 250 jaguars, as far as is known. It is already extinct in Uruguay and El Salvador.
It is considered an “indicator” species of environmental health, as it plays an important role in the maintenance of natural systems that provide vital ecosystem services for the well-being of nature and people.
Therefore, their conservation and that of their habitat indirectly protect other species of flora and fauna and ensure a healthy environment for people.
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