The El Impenetrable National Park, located in the province of Chaco, continues to be the scene of historic advances for Argentine wildlife conservation. In recent months, the appearance of two new wild males of jaguar has been recorded, confirming that the Chaco forest still meets the necessary conditions to host this critically endangered species.
The population supplementation project
Historically, solitary males that appeared in the area were detected sporadically (by tracks or isolated photos) and then disappeared. Today, the scenario has changed thanks to the species supplementation project led by the foundation Rewilding Argentina, the National Parks Administration, and the government of Chaco.
This program is based on two strategic pillars:
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Satellite monitoring: One of the new males has already been safely captured and equipped with a satellite collar to study its movements and design effective protection measures.
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Female supplementation: The presence of females (some in the process of being released and others already released) serves as an anchor so that the males do not leave the protected area and remain in the territory.
“Before, many of these males appeared once and then disappeared without leaving a trace. Today we can monitor them, understand how they use the territory, and work to protect them,” highlights Débora Abregú, Conservation Coordinator of the project.
“No’huet” and a historic reproduction milestone
To celebrate this event, students from schools in the town of Miraflores participated in choosing the name for the monitored jaguar. The winning name was No’huet, which in Qom language means “King of the animals”.
The strategy of releasing females is already bearing concrete fruit: in 2025, the birth of the first two cubs in the wild in over 35 years was recorded in the Chaco region, a historic milestone for conservation.
Ecological and community impact
The return of the jaguar as a top predator is essential to restore natural processes and ensure the health of one of the most biodiverse environments in Argentina. Likewise, the recovery of the species boosts the development of local communities through nature tourism, transforming environmental conservation into an economic engine for the region.
