Asuncion, Paraguay (July 3, 2017) – Following the event where a male jaguar was killed while wandering between houses in downtown Loma Plata, Chaco, Maria del Carmen Fleytas, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Paraguay Country Program, has issued the following statement:

“As we work daily to protect and conserve this species that is threatened locally and regionally, the news of a jaguar being killed is unfortunate. 

“WCS is committed to finding mutually beneficial solutions that integrate conservation and human wellbeing. Jaguar populations are rapidly declining in Paraguay due to a number of human-related threats, such as habitat loss and direct killings. Because of that it’s good to consider all management options before the lethal one. In this situation a tranquilizer dart would have had the same effect as the bullet that ended the life of this animal. 

"WCS will continue working in support of the Secretary of the Environment in order to raise awareness of the beauty of jaguars, stimulate pride in this magnificent manifestation of Paraguayan heritage, and communicate the tools to achieve coexistence with the rich wildlife of our beloved Paraguay. We will also increase our efforts to educate communities about the ecological and cultural importance of jaguars across the region. As a society we can work together to preserve Paraguay's jaguar population and all our natural heritage for generations to come.”

Click here to read about WCS’s Paraguay’s New Management Plan for Jaguars.