News of extinctions seems to consider heavy on our timeline in an earned run average where the climate crisis is transforming parts of the world into inhospitable habitats . It ’s authoritative , then , to snaffle onto good news with both hands . To that destruction , we ’re captivated to cover that one such glimmer of Leslie Townes Hope was spotted weaving through the waters ofEl Impenetrable Chaqueño , a national park in Northeastern Argentina . Here , for the first meter in at least 100 year , agiant river otterwas sight in the Bermejo river make it the only known wild person not to have been reintroduced to the region . The metal money were believed to have been extinct in Argentina for the retiring three X .
Reports of the individual ’s discovery come from the state of Chaco and theRewilding Argentina Foundationwho articulate , in a release sent to IFLScience , that it join three giant river otters that have traveled to Argentina from further climes . Coco and Alondra were fetch to the neighborhood from Denmark and Hungary , respectively , and currently remain in a pre - release playpen in the Iberá Park ( in the neighboring province of Corrientes ) . Another otter named Nanay recently go far in the country from Sweden but remain in quarantine until it is cleared to enter Iberá Park . The new arrival , found swimming freely in the province ’s own Bermejo river , is the fourth specimen and the only one that currently lives in complete freedom .
These fauna really do put the “ giant ” in giant river otter ( Pteronura brasiliensis ) , measuring up to 1.8 meter ( 5.9 feet ) in duration and weighing as much as 33 kilo ( 73 pounds ) . They are find in expectant rivers and wetland across northern and fundamental South America . It was cerebrate to have gone extinct in Argentina , though evidence to the contrary recently graced the country ’s waterway . The family chemical group seen in the 1980s were in the state of Misiones , but no otters have been seen in the Bermejo river for over a hundred . As a species worldwide , jumbo river otter are currently classed as threatened with extinction .
On World Otter Day ( May 27 ) today , the team behind the ongoing and long - stand Giant River Otter Reintroduction Project announced that they have further good news for the mintage . “ Alondra and Coco , the distich from Iberá Park in Corrientes , gave us the best news : they produced three beautiful cubs ! These are , for certain , the first giant river otter to be support in Argentina after many decades of extinction , ” state Sebastian Di Martino , Conservation Director at Rewilding Argentina Foundation .
“ The cubs were bear on May 19 at 1 am . The first week of life is critical for them , and they are doing well . Alondra and Coco are first-class parents , but it ’s too soon to confirm that the cubs will thrive because of their inexperience . Even so , this is wondrous news program , and we expect to see them swimming in the pre - release pen soon . ”
Drink it in , kidskin . It ’s a good news day for endangered species .
