The dissemination of a video in December 2022 showing the pursuit and death of a jaguar in the town of Clorinda in Formosa sparked national outrage and became the focus of a judicial investigation.
Three years later, in September 2025, the Federal Court No. 1 of Formosa, under Judge Pablo Morán, indicted Carlos Chagra for the alleged hunting of the feline and requested the case be brought to trial.
The video that triggered the investigation
In the recording, a man —allegedly Chagra— is heard referring to the animal as “the unfortunate one” while celebrating its capture:
“At last, we managed with the guys. We’ve been chasing it since seven in the morning. A gigantic male. Over 150 kilos.”
Although the exact moment of death was not recorded, the material documents the pursuit and the hunters’ satisfaction. The Red Yaguareté Foundation verified the content and filed a complaint with the Argentine Federal Police and the UFIMA, initiating the case.
Raids and gathered evidence
In February 2023, the Justice raided Chagra’s home and seized:
- Three firearms (including a shotgun and a rifle).
- Ammunition and professional hunting accessories.
- A puma hide preserved in a freezer.
- Photographs of hunted wild animals and an image attributed to a jaguar skin.
Precautionary measures were imposed: prohibition from leaving the country, prohibition from using firearms, and the payment of a bond of 3,770,000 pesos. Voice and anthropomorphic tests were also ordered, which the accused refused.
The defense and the challenges
Chagra denied participating in the hunt and claimed the video was edited. He argued that the weapons were old and that the puma hide belonged to his deceased father. His lawyer, Rosalino Tanco, argued that the material lacks probative value due to the absence of a chain of custody and lack of eyewitnesses.
The plaintiffs —National Parks, Red Yaguareté Foundation, and the province of Formosa— rejected these claims. Lawyer Natalia Cardozo clarified that the file contains the original record and that the watermark does not invalidate the evidence.
Judicial advances and context
The case adds to other recent advances:
- In August 2025, the Justice issued the first firm conviction for jaguar hunting against four men from Ibarreta.
- The investigation into the disappearance of Acaí, a female monitored in El Impenetrable Chaco, remains open, with a reward of $250 million.
With about 250 specimens nationwide, the jaguar is a National Natural Monument and is in critical danger of extinction. The case being brought to trial makes it the second for hunting the species to reach oral proceedings.
Legislative debate and coexistence policies
In Congress, a bill promoted by Congressman Damián Arabia remains unaddressed, proposing to increase penalties to between 4 and 8 years in prison for crimes against protected species.
Beyond sanctions, experts insist on the need to implement a coexistence program between jaguars and rural communities. Nicolás Lodeiro Ocampo, director of Red Yaguareté, summarizes it:
“If we don’t get people to learn to coexist with the jaguar, the jaguar becomes extinct. With a coexistence plan, we all win.”
The case being brought to trial for the jaguar hunting in Formosa marks a historic advance in the fight against poaching in Argentina. The case highlights the need to harden penalties, strengthen controls, and design public coexistence policies to protect one of the country’s most emblematic and threatened species.
