The jaguar Mombyry was born on San Alonso Island in the wilds of Iberá Park, Corrientes Province, Argentina in 2022. Mombyry’s journey from his place of birth is a great example of the tendency for juvenile jaguars, especially males, to travel from their home region, either on their own or due to pressure from older males in the same territory.
(Cover photograph by Matias Rebak)
Part I: Who is Mombyry?
Located on an island in the heart of the Iberá wetlands is the headquarters of the Jaguar Reintroduction project, co-founded by Tompkins Conservation and its offspring org, Rewilding Argentina. Three years ago, the first jaguars were released, with the goal of restoring this species to Corrientes after more than 70 years of extinction in the province. More recently, these animals have started to reproduce in the wild.
Mombyry is one of the first jaguars born in the wild in Iberá, more than a year ago. Today he is independent from his mother and, as is usual in young males, has begun to explore the surrounding area.
Although this is not the first time that one of the jaguars has made exploratory forays in Iberá, Mombyry—whose name means “far away” in the local indigenous language, Guaraní—is the first jaguar of the project to travel several kilometers from his place of origin and to stay away for several weeks.
Mombyry does not wear a satellite collar for monitoring his movements because he is not yet fully grown, but thanks to the relationships forged between Rewilding Argentina’s team and local communities over years, Rewilding Argentina was able to trace his movements. People from towns and villages near Iberá reported tracks and sightings of Mombyry with one objective: to protect him.
Mombyry with his mother, Mariua, in Iberá Park (2022).
Camera Trap Photograph / Rewilding Argentina
Part II: From San Alonso Island to San Miguel
In the first leg of his journey, Mombyry moved about 30 kilometers away from the island where he was born, until he reached the hamlets of Montaña and Capilla, near San Miguel, a town located near one of Iberá Park’s public entrances, in Corrientes Province.
Restoring this iconic big cat to Iberá has also restored the connection that local inhabitants feel for the jaguar and as Mombyry traveled, they reported tracks and other evidence of his presence, helping Rewilding Argentina follow the footsteps of this young jaguar.
These testimonies from local people demonstrate that they are ready to be involved in this new stage of rewilding in Corrientes, in which reintroduced species expand their territories, and they spell out a great future for the return of the jaguar to the greater region.
Mombyry tracks in the San Miguel locality, near the San Nicolás Gateway of Iberá Park.
Photograph by Rewilding Argentina
Part III: From San Miguel to Loreto and Villa Olivari
After passing through the area around San Miguel, Mombyry continued his journey until he reached the north of Corrientes Province, seventy kilometers from his birthplace.
At this point in his journey, not only were his tracks seen, but a few lucky people had firsthand encounters with this big cat.
It is exciting and encouraging to find out that in the same countryside where jaguars used to be hunted (in retaliation for preying on livestock), their presence is now celebrated and efforts are being made to protect them.
Part IV: From Villa Olivari to Itá Ibaté
Almost three months after being recorded near San Miguel, on February 18, a lucky group of Brazilian tourists together with their fishing guide spotted this young jaguar crossing the Paraná River, near the town of Itá Ibaté. @juniorguelssi was able to film and share the moment, and so many people were excited by the sighting that his video went viral.
This enthusiasm, pride and joy in seeing a jaguar in the wild is well justified: this is a species that is now back in Corrientes after 70 years of extinction in the area. This was accomplished thanks to the support of the people of Corrientes, who today are the greatest guardians of the jaguar.
Mombyry photographed by a camera trap in Iberá Park.
Located in Iberá Park, in the vast wetlands at the heart of Corrientes Province, the Iberá Project is a model for large-scale land conservation, rewilding and creating regenerative economies in Argentina.