Re-wilding Efforts Show Huge Success Here!

Through rewilding projects, conservationists in Argentina have managed to restore more than 800,000 hectares of damaged land and reintroduce multiple species including jaguars, red macaws and river otters, thus curbing the destruction of one of the most at-risk ecosystems in the world.

“Our achievements in Argentina, where environmental damage has been profound, should give hope that there’s still time for South America and the rest of the world,” says Sofia Heinonen, CEO of Rewilding Argentina.

Swamplands were once scattered across Argentina, and conservation efforts led to the creation of unifying protected territories, such as the El Impenetrable National Park. Located in the Gran Chaco region, the 128,000-hectare protected area is home to 250 Qaramta – Argentina’s largest known jaguar and one of the country’s most emblematic species. As for the Iberá National Park, those wetlands were first bought by American entrepreneurs Kris and Doug Tompkins. By 2010, they owned 765,000 hectares of land in both Argentina and Chile. In 2015, Rewilding Argentina and Rewilding Chile were launched as independent organizations, going forward with their restoration work to help animals adapt to wildlife and recover lagoons.