Visitors to Eco Park Foz, in Foz do Iguaçu, chose Cauã as the name for the jaguar found in Iguaçu National Park (PNI). Voting took place in person and via the social media accounts of the attraction and the Iguaçu Jaguars Project.
Among the options, the public could choose two names: Cauã (meaning hawk, symbol of sharp vision) and power, and Tekó (representing balance). Cauã was the winning name, with 61% of the votes. The votes were counted at a ceremony at Eco Park Foz during Carnival activities.
Cauã was first recorded in December, through camera traps set up by the Iguaçu Jaguars Project team, and is part of a group of approximately 90 jaguars that live in the park's green corridor and are monitored by the project.
According to Leandro Mautone, co-founder of Eco Park Foz, public participation in choosing the name strengthens the connection between people and the conservation of the species.
“When we give an animal a name, we create a connection. It ceases to be just another animal and becomes an important individual in the environment,” Mautone pointed out.
Eco Park has been a partner in the project since 2023. During this period, it built a chicken coop through the Ciscando o Futuro (Scratching the Future) program, sponsored the children's book "Cuidando dos Cães e das Onças" (Caring for Dogs and Jaguars), supports the monitoring of jaguars with camera traps, and honors and sells, in its souvenir shop, stuffed animals produced by the "Crocheteiras do Iguaçu" (Iguaçu Crocheters), a social project that aims to empower women in the vicinity of the Iguaçu National Park (PNI) by generating alternative income, combining crochet with jaguar conservation, among other initiatives.
"These actions reinforce our commitment to environmental education and to bringing the community closer to the conservation of the jaguar," he emphasized.
Eco Park Foz
Eco Park Foz is a modern zoo covering an area of 30,000 square meters whose mission is to promote people's connection with nature and animals, combining excitement and learning.
Among the activities is the "Owl Moment," an immersion in the history of these birds full of symbolism, held at 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Another highlight is the Flight of Birds of Prey, which recaptures the history of falconry in an experience considered unique in Latin America. The presentations take place at 10:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The park also features the Primates Forest, Brazil's first immersion nursery with monkeys, as well as the Meliponary—a space dedicated to native stingless bee species. Visitors can also explore domestic and wild animal enclosures, with spaces for interaction.
“Eco Park Foz is a modern zoo that brings visitors closer to the animals in a respectful and engaging way. It is an invitation to spend the day outdoors and create family memories in contact with nature,” says Mautone.
The park is located next to Dreams Park Show, on Rodovia das Cataratas, and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Further information and discount policies are available by calling 0800 200 2019.
