AssetID: 53282471
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Two Ocelots Released In Iberá Park Make History As The First Pair To Begin The Recovery Of Their Species
Caption: Two ocelots released into Iberá National Park have created history as the first pair to commence the recovery of their species. The rewilding project aims to reintroduce the species to the park in Northeastern Argentina, where it faced extinction during the twentieth century, primarily due to hunting and habitat destruction. This forms a part of the most ambitious rewilding programme in Latin America and the world's inaugural ocelot reintroduction initiative of its kind. The ocelot stands as the seventh species being reinstated in Iberá Park; other noteworthy rewilding endeavours encompass the reintroduction of the jaguar, the giant anteater, and the red-and-green macaw. Tomi and Luna constitute the first ocelot pair to be reintegrated into Iberá Park, marking the inception of their species' rehabilitation. The project commenced almost two years ago, in December 2021, with the establishment of specialised pre-release enclosures in the eastern regions of the Iberá wetlands. Luna became the initial female to join the project, donated by the La Peregrina Breeding Center in Buenos Aires Province and arriving on November 19, 2021. Tomi, a male born in 2012, entered the project on March 10, 2022, donated by Córdoba Biodiversity Park (formerly Córdoba Zoo). Since their arrival, both felines have resided within a spacious free-range enclosure, where they acquired skills essential for surviving in the wild, including the ability to hunt live prey. During this period, they were also confirmed as fertile and capable of producing offspring, a crucial attribute for the successful reintroduction of the species to Iberá. The couple has had a cub, which is now independent of its parents but still too young to be fitted with a tracking collar and released. Luna and Tomi now roam freely in the expansive wetlands. Each of them sports a collar with a GPS connection that records daily location data, facilitating the monitoring of their movements and the study of their adaptation to the environment. Four other ocelots are in pre-release enclosures in southern Iberá Park, awaiting release to bolster the initial population. This group includes Tomi and Luna's cub, as well as individuals from the La Peregrina Breeding Center and the Jujuy Native Fauna Care Center. Furthermore, three females from the Bella Vista Wildlife Shelter, managed by Itaipú Binacional in Brazil, and one female from the Urutaú Wildlife Shelter in Paraguay, will soon be integrated into the project. The ocelot is the seventh species to be reintroduced to Iberá Park, with additional significant rewilding efforts underway, including the reintroduction of the jaguar, the giant anteater, and the red-and-green macaw. Reintroduction projects for three other species are in progress, although none have been released thus far. While the ocelot reintroduction project carried out in Iberá is the world's first of its kind, a similar initiative is being developed in the United States to reintroduce the ocelot in an area of southwest Texas. This project has been made possible through collaborative efforts between the La Peregrina Breeding Center, CAFaJu of Jujuy, Mossy Earth, the Government of Corrientes, and Rewilding Argentina. The return of this exquisite feline is aiding in the restoration of healthy, complete, and functional ecosystems in Iberá Park and will contribute to ongoing economic development based on wildlife observation and cultural and nature tourism in the surrounding communities.
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