A giant anteater’s return in Argentina offers a case for letting nature restore itself
In 2025, a giant anteater returned to the Alma Guaraní reserve in Argentina’s Corrientes province. It marked the first sighting of this vulnerable and emblematic mammal in the region since 1986. That return is believed to be the result of restoration work that began in the reserve in 2021, according to a paper published in […]
In a remarkable development for conservation efforts in Argentina, a giant anteater was spotted at the Alma Guaraní reserve in Corrientes province for the first time since 1986. This sighting, published in the Restoration Ecology journal, suggests that a passive restoration project initiated in 2021 may have played a role in the mammal's return.
The National University of the Northeast and climate startup RestoreData co-author Rosario Montiel stated that the presence of the giant anteater seemed spontaneous and that the animal had discovered the necessary resources to thrive in its new habitat. The origin of the animal remains unclear, but it is believed to be a male that likely crossed from neighboring Chaco province after low water levels in the Parana River in 2024 allowed for a crossing.
As a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, giant anteaters face threats from habitat loss due to agriculture, livestock ranching, infrastructure development, and hunting, which further contribute to their decline in Argentina and the Gran Chaco region.
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