Onçafari has just received one of the most prestigious awards in global social entrepreneurship. Mario Haberfeld, founder and CEO of Onçafari, was selected by the Schwab Foundation as one of the 21 social entrepreneurs and innovators worldwide to join its community in 2026. The award was presented during the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum on January 20th in Davos, Switzerland. Considered the âNobelâ of social entrepreneurship, the Schwab Award recognizes leaders who develop transformative solutions to urgent global challenges. This yearâs edition highlighted resilient and innovative initiatives capable of creating lasting impact even amid uncertainty and disruption. Among the awardees, Mario was the only Brazilian selected and Onçafari the only organization focused on environmental issues to join the community in 2026; an acknowledgment that reinforces the importance of conserving Brazilian biodiversity. Joining the Schwab Foundation community means expanding dialogue, partnerships, and opportunities to expand Onçafariâs mission further contributing to a future where nature and people thrive together. #WEF26 | |
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2025 was a year of recognition and remarkable achievements for Onçafari! Projects such as the Jaguar Rivers Initiative (Rios da Onça), along with national and international awards and acknowledgments, reinforced the impact of our work on Brazilian biodiversity conservation. See what else we accomplished last year. | |
Through our Reintroduction program, we successfully returned several species to the wild, including pacas, toucans, agoutis, and capuchin monkeys. In addition, for the first time in Onçafariâs history, we released a tapir back into the wild in the Pantanal. This was Valente, a young tapir rescued from 2024 wildfires who underwent a long recovery process to treat burn injuries under the care of our veterinarians and biologists. Within our Ecotourism program, we recorded 1,131 jaguar sightings at Caiman Pantanal, achieving a 99% sighting rate. In the Cerrado, at our base at Pousada Trijunção, there were 381 maned wolf sightings, reaching an 87% sighting rate among guests. This milestone continues to grow annually, demonstrating the success of the monitoring and habituation work with maned wolves in the Cerrado. | |
Since its inception, Onçafari has established more than 20 scientific partnerships and has directly contributed to the publication of 38 scientific articles. These studies used data collected from GPS and VHF collars on jaguars and maned wolves, records obtained through camera traps, and biological samples (such as blood and serum), expanding our knowledge of animal behavior, ecology, and health. We also expanded our fauna monitoring activities to a total of eight bases: Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge, Fazenda Velocitta, Legado das Ăguas, SĂŁo Paulo Catarina International Airport, Itatiaia National Park, Iporanga, Vera Lucia/Barra Mansa and Seringal GuajarĂĄ. | |
In 2025, we formed partnerships to expand Onçafariâs presence in new conservation bases across Brazil. This growth strengthens the organizationâs presence in natural landscapes contributing to the conservation of ecosystems that sustain biodiversity. We also became part of the Jaguar Rivers Initiative (Rios da Onça), a bold effort aimed at building a continental ecological corridor in South America. The initiative seeks to restore, protect, and reconnect ecosystems within the ParanĂĄ River Basin, a biodiversity hotspot shared by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. | |
Onçafari worked alongside the Boe Bororo people of the Perigara Indigenous Land in initiatives such as the commercialization of part of the community farmâs production, gatherings of indigenous women, training for the Fire Brigade, and the construction of a storage facility to organize and inventory the materials used by the brigadiers for fire prevention and suppression. The activities with the Boe Bororo people are part of the three-year Pemega Perigara Project developed by Onçafari in the Perigara Indigenous Land focusing on community empowerment, territorial conservation, and the protection of local ecosystems. | |
The actions carried out by Onçafariâs Anti-Fire Front helped reduce heat hotspots by 98.5% in the reserves monitored via satellite. In 2025, we organized these actions into operational plans, structuring all activities at the operational management level in order to use resources efficiently and ensure that activities remained on schedule. In addition, we acquired 258 pieces of equipment, hired six firefighters from the Alto Pantanal Brigade, and trained 18 staff members. We also cleared 235 km of fences and firebreaks in Perigara, Santa Sofia, and the REVIS (Amazon), which is essential for creating a barrier against the spread of uncontrolled fires. | |
In 2025, we worked with 48 partners and hosted major events such as OnçaPartners and Where There are Jaguars, There Is Life in Balance. Each initiative strengthened our conservation network bringing together companies, donors, and the public in support of wildlife. | |
The continuous monitoring of Brazilian biodiversity carried out by Onçafari continues to generate important discoveries for conservation. Two recently published scientific papers provide new insights into the behavior and ecology of maned wolves and jaguars monitored by Onçafari. Published in Canid Biology & Conservation, the study âFirst record of a maned wolf preying on greater rheaâ reports an unprecedented record of a maned wolf preying on a greater rhea in the Trijunção region, in the Cerrado at the border between the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais, Bahia, and GoiĂĄs. This case challenges the idea that the species feeds only on smaller prey, given that it does not form packs like other wild canids. Thus, the study adds new layers of complexity to the biology of the maned wolf, which was only possible thanks to the long-term monitoring of the species carried out by Onçafari. The second paper, âRange-wide assessment of habitat suitability for jaguars using multiscale species distribution modelling,â published in Scientific Reports, analyzed publicly available movement data from jaguars monitored by Onçafari to understand how different environmental characteristics influence landscape suitability for the species, as well as data from other partners. The study helps explain what makes an area more or less favorable for the presence of jaguars. | |
Recently Dakari separated from her mother, Surya, jaguar that we have been monitoring since 2018, and began her independent journey in the wild. Monitored by Onçafari since her birth in June 2024, Dakari has now reached adulthood and is entering a transition period during which she begins to explore new areas and write her own story. The dispersal process occurs only after the mother has cared for the cub until it is ready to survive on its own, which typically happens around one and a half years of age. At this point, the cub separates from its mother and begins its independent life exploring and establishing its own territory. At this stage the team is closely following Dakari to understand which regions she will use and how her new territory will be established. Through close observation we will monitor and record the first chapters of Dakariâs adult life and the paths she chooses to follow. | |
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New at the Onçafari Store! Jaguar, Hyacinth Macaw, and Maned Wolf are now available as Amigurumis; cute handmade crochet pieces that are full of purpose. Visit the store and get yours today! Please note: We do not ship internationally yet, so shipping costs are the buyerâs responsibility. For questions or to arrange delivery and orders, please email [email protected] | |||
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Interested? Send an email to [email protected] to book your tour! | |||
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Sent by Onçafari Avenida MagalhĂŁes de Castro, 4.800, 603 Torre 3 Jardim Panorama â SĂŁo Paulo/SP â Brazil â ZIP Code: 05676-120  |