Jaguar Returns to Argentina’s Iberá Park

Why this is here: The reintroduction project has confirmed a population of fifty jaguars in Iberá Park, after seventy years of absence in the region.

Tourists and park rangers in Argentina’s Iberá Park, 800 kilometers north of Buenos Aires, recently spotted a young male jaguar. The sighting marks the return of the species to a region where it had been extinct for seventy years.

Rewilding Foundation began a conservation project five years ago to reintroduce jaguars to the park. The observed jaguar, named Ombú, is the grandson of Mariua, the first female released in 2021.

About thirteen jaguars have been released so far, establishing a confirmed population of fifty in the area. Researchers monitor adult jaguars with satellite collars, identifying individuals like Ombú by their unique spot patterns captured on trail cameras. Ombú’s recent appearance near the town of Carlos Pellegrini suggests he is dispersing to find territory and mates.

While habitat loss and conflicts with ranchers still pose threats, the project aims to acclimate jaguars to human presence. Rewilding is also working to reintroduce jaguars in Misiones and Salta provinces, studying local populations and releasing new individuals. The work continues as they seek to restore the jaguar’s role as a keystone predator in these ecosystems.