PREVIEW

Jaguar rescued after being shot in the head released back into the Amazon rainforest. A jaguar rescued from the middle of the Rio Negro after being shot in the head in October has been safely released back into the wild following a first-of-its-kind operation. The mission, carried out in mid-November, is the first documented case of the big cat being rescued, treated and reintroduced into its natural habitat in the Amazon. The animal was discovered in the Rio Negro as it attempted to cross from Iranduba — 27 kilometres from Manaus — towards the state capital, after being struck by multiple shotgun pellets. Following emergency treatment, and with authorisation from the Amazonas Environmental Protection Institute (Ipaam), the jaguar was transferred to a former zoo. There it remained under the care of biologist Nonato Amaral, receiving constant monitoring throughout its rehabilitation until it was deemed fit to return to the wild. The young male jaguar was returned to the wild 40 days after being rescued. The jaguar was sedated by specialist veterinarians and transported in a custom-built crate. After its release, it returned safely to its forest habitat and will now be monitored by experts using a radio collar.