The Chacoan peccary is endemic to the South American Dry Chaco region. The species' distribution includes portions of Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina. Our project area includes the best-preserved portion of the dry forests of the Chaco region, in the Chaco province, Argentina. The area is rich biodiversity and endemisms. This area is also inhabited by rural and indigenous communities, whose homes are isolated in the forest. These communities have subsistence economies based on hunting and gathering. As, forests are rapidly disappearing due to the expansion of industrial agriculture, performed by foreigners that displace locals to produce soy and livestock. Consequently, the habitat of the Chacoan peccary is disappearing and being fragmented. Additionally, unsustainable hunting of this species by the local population also contributes to its decline. Local cultures and livelihoods are also threatened by the advance of the agricultural frontier, their territories become smaller and more restricted. Therefore, the region, its local communities, the Chacoan peccary and other species, are highly threatened and it is urgent to strengthen local peoples´ capacity and provide them tools to protect both the species and their territories.

The objectives of our project are: 1) Empower and provide tools to local population to become guardians of their forests. 2) Implement participatory monitoring to assess the status of the Chacoan peccary population and the effects of subsistence hunting. 3) Disseminate project results to decision-makers and local population to promote public policies and raise general awareness.