In 2009, the Red Yaguareté (Jaguar Network) joined the Project "Implementation of cattle management as a tool for long-term conservation of the jaguar in the jungles of the Yungas of northwestern Argentina", which is driven by the National Parks Administration.

Thus, the Red yaguareté performs the function of Local Coordination for Site 6 in the town of Baritú, beside the National Park of the same name. This task is carried out by Ing. Fernando Falke and has, as the entire project, the technical coordination of Dr. Pablo Perovic, from the Northwest Regional Technical Delegation of the APN.

At this stage, will perform a type of cattle management agreed with the settlers, which is the differential treatment of calves until they pass the age of greatest risk of predation by the Jaguars (from birth to two years) and then return them to traditional management, under forest. This differential management is effected through pasture, where calves will remain with their mother until weaning. Then the mothers return to traditional management, leaving in the enclosure places only the animals in vulnerability age.

In this first phase, nine families from Baritú community are envolved, grouped into two operating sites. Two sites will be closed with wire, one of 8 and another 12 hectares, with electric wiring and herdsman. These enclosures will be subdivided internally to the proper handling of animals and pastures.

General Objective.

To develop and implement an alternative system of cattle management aimed to mitigate the impact of predation by large cats, including jaguar, in a jungle area of the Yungas.

Specific Objectives.

Identify the characteristics of livestock management in the Yungas, which creates conditions of vulnerability in the presence of big cats.

Design an alternative system of livestock management to minimize predation by the jaguar. That is technically, socially, culturally and economically viable and consensual.

Develop an outreach program and training of alternative management involving different local stakeholders and allows for participatory action in it.

Implement and monitor alternative livestock management system.

Project expected results.

Encourage inter-agency working, disciplinary, jurisdictional, cultural, etc. conservation projects and management.

Reduce losses of livestock predation by jaguar.

Achieve coexistence between human productive activities and wildlife in general and in particular jaguar / livestock.

Enhance, restore the value of cultural activities, with associated fauna and flora.

Increasing the supply of wild prey for predators, and their diversity.

Improving the quality of livestock and shorten the time of "termination" of an animal for sale or consumption.

Reducing the grazing pressure on the forest, having less load, and thus allow the survival of seedlings of species of forest value.

Develop or encourage a sense of tolerance among predators/human or wildlife/human activities.

Structure and organization of the project.

The project will be subdivided into:
 

Research Subprogram.

1. Assessment of impacts caused by livestock on the forest and fauna with the current production system.

2. Expeditious survey and monitoring of the supply of prey species.

3. Survey of livestock: animals marked by the Project with classification by age classes.

4. Expeditious characterization of current livestock production system and its main variants: the nutritional status will be considered current and annual production volumes, percentage of deaths from predation by cats in relation to other causes of death, etc.

5. Evaluation of stocking in the context of current silvopastoral system.

Implementation Subprogram.

1. Seasonally adjusted systematized management services-kidding-weaning.

2. Health control plan with regular detours from the pilot sites.

3. Gradual formation of the set of "best practices" validated in pilot sites and in workshops as integral parts of alternative management.

Monitoring Subprogram.

1. Annual monitoring of the prey species.

2. Biannual monitoring the status of conservation and regeneration of native forest tree species.

3. Annual stock monitoring cattle with attention to age classes.

4. Including ongoing monitoring of predation control and verification of causes.

The project has the sponsorship of WildCru and Panthera Foundation.

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