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Where hope roars

The world’s first insurance to help jaguars and people live in harmony

May 21^st, 2025

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Diego is a sheep farmer and runs a family ranch. Hilda works in livestock farming with her husband Juan and their son Hugo. Adenir is a farmer. They all live in Comandante Andresito, a town in the province of Misiones, located on the Argentina border between Brazil and Paraguay. Together, they face the same challenge; living alongside jaguars.

"Every morning we check on the animals to make sure they're all here, especially since we know one of the jaguars is in the area," says Hugo. His mother, Hilda, adds, "I don't go out in the evening because these creatures tend to move around at dawn or dusk."

The jaguar is the largest feline in the Americas and the third largest in the world, after the tiger and lion. Its name comes from the Guarani language and means "he who kills with one leap.” For centuries, this majestic animal has symbolized power, greatness and even spirituality for many Indigenous cultures.

In Argentina, it’s known as the 'yaguareté'. It mainly inhabits the dense forests of Misiones, and its tracks, sometimes visible in the soft mud, scratched into tree bark or barely noticeable through a sudden rustle in the underbrush, strike fear into those who live and work near its territory.

Adenir remembers when a jaguar attacked his pet;

"When I arrived and lifted the dog’s head, I saw all the blood... I immediately thought it could only have been a ‘yaguareté’."

This isn’t an isolated incident. On several occasions cows, horses, goats and dogs have been attacked and retaliatory hunting has become one of the leading causes of jaguar death. Many farmers take drastic measures to prevent further losses, seeing the jaguar as a direct threat to their livelihood. To make matters worse, poaching and habitat loss also contribute to the growing tension.

The 'yaguareté' began to be monitored in the 19th century, when its range extended from the southern United States to the Argentine coast. However, by 2020, its population had dropped by 50 percent. In Argentina, the situation is even more dire. It’s estimated that 95 percent of the jaguar's original habitat has been lost. Because of this, in 2001, the country declared it a National Natural Monument, granting it the highest level of protection. Despite these efforts, only around 250 'yaguareté' remain.

But Diego points out;

"As a producer, and I believe I speak for most ranchers in the area, it’s reassuring that steps are being taken to keep the problem away from our livestock."

What he’s referring to is the world’s first 'yaguareté' protection insurance.

This is designed to turn conflict into coexistence. If an attack is confirmed, the farmer receives quick financial compensation. But the real value of the programme goes beyond that. Once an attack is verified, technical support is provided, including regular visits, help with livestock management and infrastructure improvements to prevent future incidents.

The insurance is funded by the provincial government and is offered free of charge to farmers. There is no deductible, and case verification is handled by an organization specializing in biodiversity conservation, ensuring a transparent and fair process.

Hilda, Juan and Hugo feel like their work isn’t in vain anymore. They say that before, they’d spend "a year and a half raising a calf, and the ‘yaguareté’ would come and eat it in just one night."

The insurance was developed by UNDP Argentina in collaboration with the Biodiversity Finance Initiative and the Insurance and Risk Finance Facility, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Thanks to the close partnership between UNDP, the Government of Misiones, Río Uruguay Seguros (a local insurance company) and Aves Argentinas (a conservation organization), new opportunities for coexistence have been created.

It's not just a financial tool but a lifeline for the species. By offering compensation and technical support to farmers who suffer losses, it helps transform fear into cooperation and conflict into coexistence.

The 'yaguareté' plays a vital environmental role. It controls herbivore populations, helps prevent overgrazing and erosion and maintains the delicate balance of the jungle. Recent studies estimate that the ecosystem services provided by the jaguar's habitats are worth up to US$4 billion per year in Latin America. In 2024, Argentina's National Parks Administration valued the loss of a single 'yaguareté' at more than 1.7 billion Argentine pesos, or about $1.8 million.

The cost of losing a 'yaguareté' is immeasurable from an ecological standpoint, but also from a cultural and spiritual perspective. That's why its conservation is also shaped by everyday actions. Communities are being empowered with simple but effective tools: flashing lights to scare off predators at night, bells to signal danger, electric fences to protect livestock or safe shelters for guard dogs.

The 'yaguareté' protection insurance is a model with the potential to be replicated, and it will be closely monitored and evaluated with the goal of expanding it to other parts of the country and even the region. As Brazilian conservationist Yara Barros—winner of the Whitley Award, which honours outstanding conservation efforts in the Global South—explained after her work protecting jaguars in the tri-border area between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, the key to protecting these big cats is; "transforming fear into fascination".

That’s exactly what Comandante Andresito is showing to the world; a community where the roar of the 'yaguareté' echoes through the forest, not as a threat, but as a symbol of balance, harmony and hope.