LocationsIn a joint collaboration, UNDP, the province of Misiones, the insurance company Río Uruguay Seguros (RUS), and local civil society organizations are introducing an innovative financial solution to conserve the largest feline in the Americas, protect livelihoods, and strengthen human-wildlife coexistence. A pilot test will be conducted in the municipality of Comandante Andresito.
UNDP Argentina and the Government of Misiones Launch the World’s First Jaguar Protection Insurance
21 de Mayo de 2025
The Jaguar Protection Insurance launched by UNDP is the first insurance of its kind in the world
Emilio White
The Government of Misiones, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Argentina, has launched the world’s first insurance product specifically designed to protect the jaguar (Panthera onca) and the rural communities that live alongside it.
The launch event was held at the press room of the Misiones Government House and was attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Production, Facundo López Sartori; the President of the Misiones Biodiversity Institute (IMiBio), Viviana Rovira; IMiBio’s Executive Director, Emanuel Grassi; and the Executive President of Río Uruguay Seguros, Juan Carlos Godoy. UNDP was represented by Marcelo Borré, Project Coordinator for Inclusive Insurance.
In this context, the Minister of Agriculture highlighted the importance of coordinated efforts to achieve a unique solution. López Sartori stated: “This insurance protects our biodiversity and also guarantees production.” He also emphasized the key role played by various organizations, institutions, and companies in creating this one-of-a-kind insurance product.
Marcelo Borré thanked the attendees and expressed: “We want to set an example for the region, providing concrete proof that the insurance sector can deliver solutions that support both biodiversity conservation and livelihoods.” He also shared words from María Eugenia Di Paola, UNDP Programme Coordinator, who emphasized the importance of the event, stating: “Today, we are launching the world’s first insurance policy designed specifically to promote coexistence between one of the province’s key productive sectors and one of its most iconic species: the jaguar".
Finally, Juan Carlos Lucio Godoy, Executive President of Río Uruguay Seguros (RUS), added: “Insurance should not only protect assets, but also be a tool to safeguard what makes us unique as a region and allow us to move forward. It supports livestock producers while actively financing biodiversity conservation”.
This solution, developed with RUS and supported by NGOs specialized in jaguar conservation, aims to discourage retaliatory killings of jaguars following livestock or pet predation, thus helping prevent the species’ extinction.
Why We Must Protect the Jaguar
The jaguar is critically endangered in Argentina, with fewer than 250 individuals remaining nationwide — about 90 of whom live in the province of Misiones.
Its decline is largely due to retaliatory killings following livestock and pet predation. Despite being legally protected and declared a Natural Monument, the risk of extinction persists unless human-wildlife conflicts are addressed in concrete and localized ways.
This insurance serves as a tool to support efforts to prevent the extinction of the jaguar
Emilio White
As a keystone species, the jaguar helps regulate herbivore populations, prevent erosion, and safeguard the biodiversity of the entire forest. Recent studies estimate the ecosystem services of its habitats to be worth up to $4 billion annually in Latin America. In 2024, Argentina’s National Parks Administration valued the loss of a single jaguar at ARS 1,727,713,638.
What Is the Jaguar Insurance?
The insurance policy, launched by UNDP and the Government of Misiones, will be first implemented in the municipality of Comandante Andresito (Misiones province) and represents a pioneering global solution. The policy is purchased by the provincial government, offered free of charge to citizens, has no deductible, and is assessed by an NGO specialized in biodiversity conservation.
If a predation event is verified, the affected producer receives prompt financial compensation, and a technical support plan is activated, including regular visits to improve livestock management and prevent future incidents.
This project was developed through collaboration between UNDP’s global initiatives Biodiversity Finance (BIOFIN) and the Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF). It is the result of a partnership between an international organization with four decades of presence in Argentina, the provincial government, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
The jaguar insurance will be monitored and evaluated with a view to expanding its implementation to other regions in Argentina and across Latin America and the Caribbean, where human-jaguar coexistence remains a challenge. The initiative aims to prove that production, conservation, and development can indeed go hand in hand through appropriate financial tools.
