Jaguar named Theodoro rescued and returned to Morro do Diabo State Park

jaguar rescue wildlife monitoring Morro do Diabo State Park Fundação Florestal wildlife conservation

A six-year-old male jaguar named Theodoro was rescued after being found exhausted near the Arlindo Béttio highway (SP-613) in Teodoro Sampaio, São Paulo. The animal, which has been monitored by the Fundação Florestal since 2021, showed no signs of injury, leading authorities to rule out a collision with a vehicle.

A joint operation involving the Fundação Florestal, the Military Police, the Fire Department, and the Department of Highways (DER) was conducted to return the feline to the Morro do Diabo State Park. Because the jaguar was too fatigued to travel on its own, teams used water to encourage movement and eventually opened a gap in a fence to provide direct access to the forest. The animal was successfully returned to the protected area without the need for sedation.

The identification of the jaguar was made possible through the MonitoraBioSP program. The animal typically utilizes ecological corridors that connect Morro do Diabo State Park to the Mico-Leão-Preto Ecological Station.