Overview
- Tourists walking a public boardwalk near Colonia Carlos Pellegrini in the Reserva Provincial Iberá filmed a young jaguar that was later identified as Ombú.
- Ombú, a male about 1 year and 8 months old born in September 2024 in San Alonso, is in a normal dispersal stage and left the trail for cover after the brief encounter.
- Red Yaguareté said the cat showed no interest in people and expects more close sightings, urging park managers to update visitor guidance and enforce safe viewing distances.
- Rewilding surveys count roughly 50 jaguars now living free in the Iberá wetlands, reflecting a coordinated comeback led by Fundación Rewilding Argentina with national park and provincial partners.
- Despite local gains, the jaguar remains critically endangered in Argentina with fewer than about 200 in the wild due to poaching, habitat loss and reduced prey, which raises the need for patrols and strict enforcement.