Exciting news arrived to close 2024 and welcome 2025: two litters of **giant otter pups** were born in **Iberá Park**.
The **Rewilding Argentina Foundation** brought the news by joining the successful **species recovery program**: it had been extinct in Argentine territory.
Giant otter pups born in Iberá: how many individuals are there
The pups, born to the pairs **Coco and Nima**, are currently in enclosures within the park. They are getting ready to go to the free waters of northern Argentina.
These new litters show the progress of the **first project in the country** dedicated to the recovery of an **extinct mammal**.
With the arrival of the pups, there are now **three reproductive pairs** of giant otters raising their babies. They play a crucial role in the restoration of this species, considered a **top predator in aquatic ecosystems**.
The success of this program marks a milestone in **biodiversity conservation** in Argentina and reinforces the organization’s commitment to ecological restoration in the country’s ecosystems.
“We close the year celebrating that this project continues to progress favorably,” the foundation said in a statement.
What is the giant otter like
Native to South America, it is the largest otter in the world, and can reach up to 1.8 meters. **In Argentina, it inhabited the Paraná and Uruguay river basins**, but its population retracted towards the north.
Unlike other mustelids, it is a **social species**, with family groups that usually have three to eight members. These groups are based on a **dominant breeding pair** and are extremely close-knit and cooperative.
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