Me holding "Sacha", a fledgling Chaco eagle that was monitored with a camera trap in 2021/2022 and tagged with a GPS transmitter near Elisa, western Santa Fe province.

However, in eastern Santiago del Estero province and, although the public involvement was also significant, most interviews revealed that a massive deforestation is happening across the province. This could be the reason why few sightings have been reported in this area, and no active nest has been found. Fortunately, there is still hope in the central-western part of this province, where the Dry Chaco Forest still survives and where some past and recent Chaco Eagle sightings drive our attention.

The general objective of this project is to expand our outreach, research and conservation activities towards new areas in Santiago del Estero province. We will explore the study area, holding interviews with local people to collect data on the presence and perception of this species. Identified Chaco Eagle breeding territories and nests will be monitored throughout the reproductive season in order to study the biology of the species and to acquire more information on its sources of mortality. Furthermore, we will install rescue ramps as a mitigation measure in order to reduce Chaco Eagle (and other wildlife) drownings in water reservoirs, considered one major cause of wildlife mortality in semiarid areas of Argentina. Lastly, talks at schools and meetings with associations of producers will help us disseminate the current situation of the Chaco Eagle and the objectives of our conservation cause. This project will help us consolidate a long-term monitoring program in the Dry Chaco region, contributing to the conservation of this endangered species, of which less than 1000 adult individuals remain in the wild.

Header: A tagged Chaco eagle fledgling in Huanqueros, northern Santa Fe province.