As part of the survey project in a key conservation corridor of the Patiño Department, Formosa province, a new jaguar specimen was recorded through trap cameras in the last month. The confirmation of this finding was announced by the Ministry of Production and Environment and the Jaguar Project of the Atlantic Forest Research Center, with the collaboration of local residents and producers.
During the review of the trap cameras of the Jaguar Project, several photographic events captured between August and November were identified. The Minister of Production and Environment, Lucas Rodríguez, highlighted the importance of the land-use planning strategy implemented by the Government of Formosa, which has allowed for the constant appearance of new specimens in the region.
Rodríguez pointed out that the conservation of forested areas, wetlands, and waterways, such as the Bañado La Estrella, provides a conducive environment for the jaguar to establish and reproduce in the provincial territory. He emphasized that Formosa houses a diversity of mammals and that the presence of the jaguar indicates a high degree of environmental conservation, making it crucial to protect this species at the top of the food chain.
The jaguar is the largest feline in the Americas and is critically endangered in Argentina due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, and road collisions. As a top predator, it plays a key role in regulating populations of other vertebrates, being an important indicator of ecosystem health.
In Argentina, it is estimated that fewer than 250 individuals remain, with fewer than 20 in the Chaco Region, covering provinces such as Chaco, Salta, Santiago del Estero, and the recent finding in Formosa. The species is protected by provincial and national laws and is classified as critically endangered according to the categorization of the Red Book of Threatened Mammals of Argentina compiled by the Argentine Society for the Study of Mammals.