The director of environmental conservation at the Argentina Rewilding Foundation, Sebastian de Martino, said that the situation of the jaguar in Argentina is “critical” compared to the largest cat in the Americas, which “is classified as: ‘critically endangered’.” It is estimated that no more than 200 specimens live in various regions in the north of the country.
However, the panorama is beginning to turn and “there is much to celebrate,” he expressed in the framework of “Yaguaretti Day” and highlighted projects that encourage the return of the yaguaretti as a wild animal, especially in Corrientes and Chaco, in full development and with sustainable success.
“We have begun work,” he said in response to the latent threat of extinction, stressing that the situation “has improved in recent years, due to the implementation of reintroduction and supplementation projects for these species.”
The jaguar return and protection initiative has united the work and commitment of the Rewilding Foundation of Argentina, the Department of National Parks and the provincial governments of Corrientes and Chaco.
“In Corrientes, the jaguar has been completely missing for 70 years, and after the project to introduce this species, which started in 2021, today more than 40 species live freely in the Iberian estuaries,” Di Martino explained.
In the province of Chaco, dozens of jaguars live in the mountain “El Mania”, where “complementary work was carried out, because there were specimens of jaguars, but there were no females. There were no breeding groups for a long time. We released the females and already conceived one of them with her offspring.”
Meanwhile, regarding the different populations of jaguars, Argentina’s rewilding representative explained that “there are believed to be between 80 and 90 jaguars in the northern Misiones Forest which is the largest population in the country. They inhabit a common area with Brazil.”
He added: “The other population is found in the forests of Salta and Jujuy, in the Lunga regions, where it is estimated that there are about 70 tigers,” pointing to the presence of this cat in northwestern Argentina.
Di Martino pointed out that in the country, “the total reproductive population of these big cats does not exceed 200 specimens.”
“Today we have two successful projects, the reintroduction of this species in Ibera, which already has 40 specimens and no further reintroductions are needed, and the supplementation project (release of females) in El Iberabel. There are a total of four breeding populations in the country: Iguazu National Park and protected areas in Misiones, Ibera National Park and protected areas (Corrientes), El Iberabl National Park (Chaco) and in the Yungas (Salta and Jujuy), detailing Sebastian De Martino.
He cited as cause for celebration that “the people are very supportive of the projects, there is commitment from the local communities” and that “there is a great future for yaguariti, both in Iberia and El Impenitable.”
He pointed to the work of Rewilding Argentina and the challenges, saying: “We now have to take care of and conserve genetic diversity, and we monitor and control that.”
In Iberia, “there is no need to release more animals, there are already 40 jaguars, and their number is increasing naturally,” concluded Sebastian Di Martino, proudly saying that in Iberia “there is no need to release more animals.
In 2018, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP14), under the auspices of the United Nations, declared 29 November as World Jaguar Day to celebrate the apex predator of pre-Hispanic culture, as well as a guardian of natural habitats in the Americas.
This history commemorates the commitment to protecting the region’s largest cat, highlighting the role it plays as an indicator species for environmental conservation, while seeking to raise awareness about the threats it faces to its survival.
Declared a National Natural Monument and considered an indicator of healthy ecosystems, the yagoretti today faces a significant population decline in Argentina and remains at risk of extinction.