In recent days, tourists, guides and park rangers have recorded different images of a specimen of the jaguar, the largest feline in America, on the trails of Iberá Park, 800 kilometers north of Buenos Aires. In the province of Corrientes, the species had been extinct for 70 years, but was present again thanks to a conservation project that managed to reintroduce specimens into the wild five years ago. In fact, the jaguar registered with the cell phones is a one-year-and-eight-month-old male nicknamed Ombugrandson of Marijuanathe first female released in 2021.
It is estimated that in Argentina there are around 250 specimens of this feline left in the wild, concentrated in a very limited area in the north of the country. Although at first the hunters who sold their skins were a key player in the reduction of their population, today the jaguar faces two other fundamental problems for its survival: the modification of its habitat – with the consequent loss of shelters and natural prey – and hunting by agricultural producers to avoid attacks on livestock.
Although some specimens have survived in other provinces in northern Argentina, this predator was absent for 70 years in Corrientes, where it has begun to be repopulated by the Rewilding Foundation through a . San Alonso Island, in the heart of the estuaries, was the place where specimens were carefully prepared for release. The first female—an orphaned wild cub that arrived from Brazil—was returned to the wild in 2021. One of the cubs she had is It willmother of the now famous Ombuas reconstructed by veterinarian Gustavo Solís, coordinator of the incorporation of individuals in the Iberá Project.
In the last five years, 13 specimens were released, including males and females, and today there is a registered and confirmed population of 50 specimens in the area, although it is possible that there are more.
When the animals reach adulthood they are captured and a satellite collar is placed on them to monitor them. Ombu He does not yet have one, but he had already been seen with his mother when passing in front of a camera trap located on the ground, which is activated by movement. Through the pattern of its spots – which in this species functions as a unique and unrepeatable identity mark – it was quickly identified.
What are you doing Ombu hanging around near the very touristy city of Carlos Pellegrini? Like the males of his species, he dispersed in search of new territories, females and food. “It had to have taken a very interesting turn to get there; there is a lot of water, a lot of estuary in between,” says Solís.
In one of the videos you can see how the animal, which was sitting in the middle of the public path when the tourists appeared, calmly retreats towards the mountain. “For these jaguars born in Corrientes, the human being does not represent a threat. They are not afraid, they are indifferent. We want the human being to be a neutral stimulus for them, that does not generate anger or affection; that they do not come looking for us or shoot when they see us,” says the Rewilding veterinarian.
These encounters contribute to generating a change in the conception of the bond between the jaguar and humans, historically marked by violent hunting scenes. “Beyond the tourists who were able to enjoy these sightings, in total harmony, without approaching the animal and the animal noticing them and moving away, this was very well received on social networks, the comments were all of joy and not fear. That is key for the conservation of this and many species, taking it as something natural and not something to be afraid of,” says Quimey Goméz, a member of the Yaguareté Project, which within the framework of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet) studies the process of reintroduction of the species in the area.
The jaguar is the “top predator” of South America: it is not afraid of anyone and no one eats it. From it the landscape is modeled downwards and its existence regulates the presence of other species, such as the capybara or the alligator. “It is the missing piece to begin to organize the entire food chain,” summarizes Solís. On the other hand, it is a charismatic animal that generates attraction and that can help, through tourism, benefit the residents of the area. Hence also the joy with which their sightings were received.
Rewilding is also working on two other projects to reinsert the jaguar in the country. One is in Misiones, where male specimens appeared from time to time and then dispersed or were hunted. There the foundation introduced females and the first calves born in the wild in that area have already been recorded. The other project is in the yungas of Salta, where they are in a research stage and have already detected 40 specimens.
