The Giant River Otter, Rediscovered in Argentina

REWILDING ARGENTINA’S SCIENTISTS REDISCOVERED A SPECIES THOUGHT TO BE EXTINCT IN THE COUNTRY The latest confirmed records of giant river otter family groups in Argentina are from 1980. Since then, only unprecise records of solitary individuals have been reported. Furthermore, the giant river otter extinction in the Bermejo River was confirmed much earlier, at least a hundred years ago. Or so we thought. Yesterday, Rewilding Argentina’s Conservation Director, Sebastian Di Martino, went out for a kayak ride in the Bermejo River. Shortly after he set out, he heard splashes on the water made by what seemed to be a Neotropical otter. As Sebastián stopped to observe more carefully, the animal made a sound that reminded him of Coco and Alondra, the giant river otter couple that we are reintroducing in Iberá. Phone in hand, Sebas started filming the animal. The moment the otter raised its head and exposed its white chest, there were no doubts. It was a giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis). Most of us who are