ACRE, BRAZIL — A male cougar that arrived at Chico Mendes Environmental Park in Rio Branco to take part in a species conservation program has received a new name and begun adapting to its enclosure. Previously called Guapo, the animal is now named Apolo, after the god of the Sun, in reference to the female of the same species that lives at the park.

Transferred from Porto Velho, Rondônia, to the Acre state capital on Monday (21) by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), the approximately 3-year-old animal is expected to undergo about three months of adaptation to its new environment.

After that period, the team will be able to assess the next steps for Apolo and a possible introduction to Sol.

During his first contact with the enclosure, Apolo showed curiosity and caution. He explored the area, sniffed the surroundings and sharpened his claws as he began to become familiar with his new territory.

The animal was rescued as a cub in 2023 from a soybean plantation. It was later taken to the Center for the Screening of Wild Animals (Cetas) in Rondônia, where it underwent a period of recovery.

Despite the care it received, Apolo did not develop the skills necessary to hunt and obtain food on his own. For this reason, releasing him into the wild was not considered a safe alternative for the animal.

According to Aquilas Mascarenhas, an environmental analyst and head of the Porto Velho Cetas, the possibility of returning the animal to the wild was submitted for technical assessment by the National Center for Research and Conservation of Carnivorous Mammals (Cenap).

“It is a standard consultation we conduct in every release procedure involving large carnivorous mammals, such as big cats. In this case, there was subsequently a need to decide what the best destination would be. The possibility of returning the animal to the wild had to take all these technical parameters into account. That was the approach,” he said.

Amazon Agency