In a joint operation carried out last Sunday, park rangers from the Ministry of Ecology and personnel from the **Wildlife Foundation** [detained three armed poachers](https://noticiasambientales.com/animales/desmantelaron-un-campamento-de-cazadores-furtivos-en-misiones/) in the **Urugua-í Provincial Park**, located in the north of Misiones.
The offenders were carrying firearms, a fishing net, and a specimen of a **already butchered anteater**.
## Details of the armed poachers’ arrest
The operation involved agents specialized in the [preservation of the protected natural area](https://noticiasambientales.com/animales/los-loros-de-el-condor-ya-tienen-su-area-natural-protegida/). The seized items included the weapons and the fishing net, while the poachers were taken to the local police station, remaining at the disposal of the Justice.
## Importance of the Urugua-í Provincial Park
This protected area is of **great ecological value** and it is home to endangered species. Actions like this operation are essential to reduce pressure on the local fauna and **preserve its biodiversity**.
## Where does the anteater inhabit in Argentina?
The anteater or **Amazonian anteater** (Tamandua tetradactyla) is a species of anteater from South America. It is a solitary animal, found in various habitats such as jungles and arid savannas. It feeds on ants, termites, and bees. It has strong claws that it uses to break insect nests or to defend itself.
In Argentina, it inhabits the provinces of **Catamarca, Chaco, Córdoba, Corrientes, Formosa, Jujuy, La Rioja, Misiones, Salta, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, and Tucumán**, covering the ecoregions of the Dry Chaco, Wet Chaco, Espinal, Iberá Wetlands, and Yungas Forests.
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