Jaguar Shiva’s emergency transfer halted by Bolivia road blockades

Shiva, a six‑ to nine‑month‑old female jaguar rescued on 14 March in Santa Cruz, has been treated for more than 90 shotgun pellets lodged in its body, a broken paw and osteomyelitis of the lower jaw. The animal was taken to the Senda Verde wildlife refuge in the Yungas of La Paz for intensive care and, after a month of antibiotics, needed to be moved to the regional government’s veterinary facility in La Paz for CT scans, radiographs and further treatment.

Two scheduled transports in May were aborted because nationwide road blockades, transport sector strikes and fuel shortages have immobilised ambulance routes. Senda Verde’s director Vicky Ossio warned that “this could mean the death of the jaguar” if the animal cannot reach the specialist centre. The failed evacuations also jeopardise care for other rescued wildlife – the refuge cares for more than 1,200 animals that depend on unhindered access for food, medicine and emergency services.

The organisation has appealed for humanitarian corridors to allow ambulances, supplies and veterinary teams to operate despite the social unrest, highlighting the broader impact of the protests on wildlife conservation in Bolivia.