Promoting cohabitation with jaguars

Instituto Pró-Carnívoros

Dear difteur-ses,

Yara, Project Manager of the Onças do Iguaçu project, is one of the winners of the Whitley Award 2025, also dubbed the Green Oscar of conservation!

Awarded by the Whitley Fund for Nature, this prestigious prize is given each year to personalities involved in effective and inspiring conservation projects in developing countries.

In an emotional message, Yara insists: this award is not just hers. It is the fruit of a collective effort, made possible by all those who believe in the protection of the jaguar and the Atlantic Forest.

"This award belongs to US. It belongs to all the people, companies and institutions who share our mission. It also belongs to Beauval Nature, which believed in our work right from the start."

This award is international recognition of the work accomplished, but also a springboard to go even further. Bravo Yara, bravo to the entire Onças do Iguaçu project team, and thank you to all those who support the protection of jaguars. Together, we can really make a difference.

Great news from Brazil!

Beauval Nature

Dear difteur-ses,

The Instituto Pró-Carnívoros began its collaboration with Brazil's Iguaçu National Park in 2008. This has enabled it to develop a jaguar conservation program there: the Projeto Onças do Iguaçu. Yara Barros has been the project's executive coordinator since 2018 and takes part in various field missions. Beauval Nature supports Yara's work by participating each year in funding her salary.

Here are the actions she coordinated in 2024, thanks to your support:
▪️ Conducting 3 field expeditions to capture jaguars in order to equip them with GPS and carry out biological analyses.
▪️ Census of jaguars in Brazil and Argentina: over 160 camera traps were set up for this purpose.
▪️ Collection of over 100 faecal samples from jaguars, pumas and other smaller felines.
▪️ Continued study of domestic dogs in the vicinity of Iguaçu National Park.
▪️ Continuation of awareness-raising campaigns that reached over 3,000 people.
▪️ Coordination of the national action plan 2023-2027 for the preservation of big cats in Brazil.
▪️ Reducing conflicts between humans and big cats: 94 properties were visited in 2024, the majority on several occasions. This represents 353 visits in total, in 10 villages. 59 anti-predation devices were installed, within 11 properties.

3 expeditions and 160 camera traps set!

Dear difteurs,

After more than30,000 kmtraveled and thanks to 250 photographic traps covering more than 500,000 hectares, teams from Instituto Pró-Carnívoros and Argentine NGO Proyecto Yaguareté have counted the jaguars living in Iguaçu National Park. In the Brazilian part of the park, 27 individuals have already been identified! Analyses are continuing to confirm the initial results and count the jaguars located on the Argentine side.

In addition, the Instituto Pró-Carnívoros is studying the wildlife around the BR-469 road axis. When viewing the images, the teams realized that several animals use the pipelines underground to cross this 12 km axis: ocelots, coatis, crab racoons and even grey-headed martens have been photographed in the tunnels!

In parallel, visits to farms are continuing, to exchange with farmers and install anti-predation devices for their livestock.

A big thank you to you, dear difteurs, for your invaluable support and donations ✨

Time for a verdict: how many jaguars live in Iguaçu?

Dear difteurs,

In Brazil's Iguaçu National Park, the camera traps set up to count jaguars continue to be surveyed. They have counted 18 individuals, and the analysis will continue until the end of October. A 7-8 month old jaguar has been identified. This is the 4th time its mother has given birth to cubs in Iguaçu!

In addition, teams from the Pró-Carnívoros Institute have collected80 blood samples and vaccinated 300 dogs against rabies around the national park. This program helps to combat disease and promote cohabitation between wild and domestic animals.

Finally 3 awareness-raising events were organized, bringing together nearly 300 people.

A big thank you for your support and invaluable donations!

18 jaguars counted and 300 dogs vaccinated

Teams have completed the installation of camera traps for the 2024 jaguar census. The census takes place every 2 years in Brazil and Argentina. On the Brazilian side, in Iguaçu National Park, this represents more than 80 collection sites, the images of which will be captured for 3 months.

In addition, the vaccination of dogs in the vicinity of the national park has continued: 30 dogs were vaccinated in July, notably against rabies.

Then, 25 properties in 7 different municipalities received advice from the program on actions to be taken for better cohabitation with jaguars.

Finally, 2 exhibitions on jaguars welcomed 450 participants and 32 Environmental Police officers were trained in what to do in incidents involving big cats.

Camera traps, vaccination and training!

A female named India gave birth to a new cub in 2023. This is a young female, images of which were recorded thanks to camera traps set up in Iguaçu National Park, Brazil. Two first names were submitted to Internet users' votes: Aysú and Aneci, meaning love and grace respectively. No doubt this young female will receive all the care she needs. Indeed, her mother India has been monitored by the Instituto Pró-Carnívoros since 2019 and has already had at least 3 cubs: Mitacoré in 2020 then Maná and Mani in 2022.

Promoting cohabitation with jaguars

The project

Use of the money