In the last few hours, the success of the relocation operation was confirmed and the jaguar Acaí is now in El Impenetrable.
The National Parks Administration (APN) and the foundation Rewilding Argentina, in a joint effort, carried out the relocation of the individual as part of the species’ population expansion process.
Therefore, in the Iberá National Park, in Corrientes, and later it was moved to the Chaco region.
The jaguar Acaí is now in Chaco: how the operation went
Thus, Acaí will become the second wild jaguar to be translocated for conservation purposes, following the translocation of the female Miní. The latter will be released in the El Impenetrable National Park on March 24.
The operation to take her to Chaco. (Photo: APN).
Both Acaí and Miní are females from the reintroduced population that were born in the wild in the Iberá National Park.
As highlighted, this is the first experience of this kind worldwide for the species and the first case of capturing and translocating wild individuals between two National Parks in Argentina.
“It is a source of pride for the entire National Parks Administration to continue making history in terms of jaguar conservation,” Cristian Larsen, president of the APN, stated.
“Through our work with the Rewilding Foundation and the Provinces of Chaco and Corrientes, we continue working on the reintroduction of species that have become extinct, thus ensuring the active conservation that guides our management,” he emphasized.
“This involves not only protection, but also restoration, reintroduction, and supplementation of flora and fauna within the National Parks,” Larsen elaborated.
“With each step we take, we renew our commitment to continue working for our wildlife, with concrete actions to protect them from extinction, prevent the advance of poachers, and control speeds on roads where animals circulate,” he added.
Milestones for the region
Jaguar conservation.
The Chaco region has had no confirmed records of wild females since 1990. Therefore, the initial release of the jaguars Nalá and Keraná last year, followed by the upcoming releases of Miní and then Acaí, represent milestones for the species’ conservation in the country.
Like the rest of the released individuals, these females will wear a collar with a VHF device.
This device sends radio signals captured by antennas for tracking and locating them in the field. It also includes a GPS device that identifies the individual’s position points over time.
The data is transmitted to computers via satellite, allowing for monitoring their adaptation to the environment, feeding habits, and dispersion distances, among other valuable information.
How many jaguars are there in the country
At the beginning of the 20th century, their habitat extended to Argentine Patagonia, but since then their distribution has decreased by 95%.
There are less than 250 jaguars left in the country, to the best of our knowledge. It has already become extinct in Uruguay and El Salvador.
It is considered an “indicator species” of the environment’s health, as it plays a crucial role in maintaining natural systems.
Have you visited our YouTube channel yet? Subscribe now!
