This Monday morning, the appearance of a capybara at Aeroparque surprised passersby.
The adult animal was seen walking along Avenida Costanera Rafael Obligado at 500, a few meters from Jorge Newbery Airport.
Upon notification from people, Civil Defense personnel finally arrived at the scene around 8 a.m. to rescue the specimen.
According to official sources, the capybara was roaming the Aeroparque area when witnesses alerted the authorities.
The rescue and transfer operation of the loose capybara at Aeroparque
The operation was quickly set up following alerts from passersby who witnessed the capybara at Aeroparque.
First, the City Police received the calls and coordinated with Civil Defense to safely capture the animal.
After that, the authorities secured the capybara and transported it in a special containment cage.
Thus, after 12 hours, the animal arrived at the Buenos Aires City Ecopark, where it received the necessary healthcare. Now, the specimen is in good condition.
It is worth noting that the Ecopark is the closest suitable place for these operations, as it currently functions as an educational center for the conservation of endangered native species.
There, once the transfer and veterinary checks were completed, the capybara found at Aeroparque was finally released.
Context: the struggle of capybaras against urbanization
The appearance of the capybara at Aeroparque adds to the deepening conflict between the residents of Nordelta and these animals.
Last week, six capybaras were sedated, put in cages, and removed from the private neighborhood.
This measure created tension among environmental organizations that demanded not to remove the animals from their habitat.
In this regard, a member of the group The Voice of the Capybaras stated: “Instead of protecting them, they set up two trap cages to catch and relocate them, they were uprooted from their home just like that.”
Following this, and due to the complaint from residents and NGOs, a court ruling finally determined that the capybaras must remain in Nordelta at least until a complete Environmental Impact Study is conducted.
The underlying problem is that the Buenos Aires neighborhood was built on wetlands, the natural habitat of this species.
As a result, real estate developments forced the capybaras to coexist with human presence and buildings.
This situation has been causing conflicts between the wildlife and the area’s residents for years, with proposals both against and in favor of the species.
The case of the capybara at Aeroparque highlights the challenges of coexistence between native fauna and urban spaces.
