RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Footage taken in the department of Salto confirmed the presence of the endangered animal, which also inhabits wetlands and forests in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru; it is the aguará guazú (‘Chrysocyon brachyurus’), which in Guaraní means big fox, identified in native stories as the wolfhound.
Over time, photos and videos of the species have surfaced, but the location of sightings could not be determined, making this footage the first to be confirmed on Uruguayan soil, although there are other documents that testify to its presence in 1990.
Biologist Alexandra Cravino specialized in mammals, researcher of the Faculty of Sciences’ Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology Group and member of the Anthropology, Hunting and Conservation Group of the Eastern Regional University Center, said that the recording represents “the joy of knowing that we still have the largest fox in South America within Uruguay’s fauna.”
Cravino explained that research will be conducted in the area, which is being kept confidential for the fox’s safety. Although ideally cameras could be placed in a nearby perimeter to capture the animal – because the aguará moves quickly -, finding footprints or feces could be crucial to learn more about the species.