🐆 Your December OnçaNews is here

Here is the OnçaNews edition #58. Click here to open in your web browser.

We started this month with an announcement that fills us with pride. Onçafari was awarded Best Environmental and Sustainability NGO of 2025 by the Prêmio Melhores ONG, the most prestigious award in the nonprofit sector in Brazil.

According to a 2023 study by IPEA (Institute of Applied Economic Research), Brazil has over 800,000 active civil society organizations (CSOs), and for the second consecutive year Onçafari was listed among the 100 Best NGOs in Brazil. In 2025, this recognition was enhanced by the award in the Environmental category.

This achievement recognizes the collective work of teams, partners, supporters, and communities that make Onçafari’s mission possible. The award reinforces our commitment to conservation grounded in science, planning, and positive impact.

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It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of biologist Diogo Lucatelli due to a sudden illness.

Diogo witnessed the birth of Onçafari and was part of our team for nearly ten years. He began his journey with us as a tracker, a specialist in wildlife tracking, with a particular focus on jaguars. After completing his training in South Africa, he became an official guide trainer for both Caiman Pantanal and Onçafari, making a decisive contribution to the development of professionals across different Brazilian biomes. In 2021, he conceived the Tapirapé Project, a partnership between Onçafari and Caiman Pantanal focused on the conservation of the tapir (Tapirus terrestris) in the Pantanal. More recently, he had assumed the position of ecotourism coordinator for the organization.

Passionate about nature, Diogo was a professional deeply committed to conservation and to creating responsible and memorable ecotourism experiences, as he believed in strengthening local teams and valuing the territories and communities with whom we work.

Biodiversity conservation has lost a great ally and his absence will be felt by all.

LILI’S MESSAGE

Between the past that endures and the future that begins, the encounter of Flor and Mocoha reflects the power of conservation. Flor, at 17 years old, is a forest elder and an icon in Onçafari’s history, while Mocoha, just nine months old, represents the new generation.

The present we care for today is the future of many lives. Biodiversity conservation ensures that jaguars like Flor remain free and that young ones like Mocoha have space to grow. Every act of care helps keep this cycle alive: a gift that renews itself with each new generation.

Take advantage of the final days of this campaign and help ensure that stories like that of Flor and Mocoha’s continue are replicated across Brazil’s biomes!

GIVE YOUR PRESENT

In the first week of December, we brought together our coordinators, managers, and directors in São Paulo for Onçafari’s second Leadership Gathering. It was two days of activities, exchanges, and reflections that celebrated our achievements in 2025 and allowed us to chart the path for 2026 together. It was a special moment to reinforce our values and our mission of conserving Brazilian biodiversity.

Throughout the gathering, we explored key topics essential for leadership development, such as communication, feedback, self-awareness, and team collaboration.

The activities encouraged reflection on behaviors aligned with our values, recognition of individual and collective strengths, and the importance of valuing different profiles.

The gathering was also a space for integration and inspiration, featuring hands-on activities that reinforced teamwork, creativity, and joint decision-making, such as “Cooking the Stove” led by Professor Robert Falk from Belas Artes College in the experimental kitchen. We extend our thanks to Manacá Partners and the Human Resources team for supporting these activities. To the Onçafari team, we recognize your commitment, dedication, and passion, which make it possible to advance our mission of conserving Brazilian biodiversity.

LEADERSHIP GATHERING

JHSF was the winner of the 2025 ECO Amcham Award, one of the most important corporate sustainability awards in Brazil, which recognizes best business practices with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impact.

The recognition was granted by Amcham Brazil (American Chamber of Commerce) for the project “SPAEC Socio-Environmental Management Program – Connecting Sustainability with Executive Aviation”, which highlighted São Paulo Catarina International Executive Airport among more than 140 submitted initiatives.

The award is related to records of pumas (Puma concolor) using the airport area, emphasizing the importance of maintaining balanced ecosystems. The presence of these top predators contributes to operational safety by helping control invasive species such as the European hare.

This dynamic reinforces an essential point: protecting the puma also strengthens operational safety. In this context, nature is not only a value in itself to be preserved but also an intelligent, efficient, and strategic solution.

ECO AMCHAM 2025

This month we had a very special sighting of Pipa, a jaguar cub who is part of a very special lineage. Pipa is the daughter of Jaci, granddaughter of Aracy, and great-granddaughter of the famous Isa, the world’s first jaguar successfully reintroduced into the wild by Onçafari.

Pipa symbolizes the continuation of a story that began almost a decade ago. Isa and Fera were given a second chance in nature, producing children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren, and each sighting is a living reminder of the impact of this story from generation to generation.

SIGHTING OF PIPA

During a sighting in the rainy season in the Cerrado, the team captured a special moment involving Savana, a maned wolf, with her two pups born in May this year. This is the period when the greatest variety of fruits is available and puppies begin to try new foods.

Savana waited for her cubs and went to eat a fruit called Croadinha, watching them and making space as if inviting them to try the little fruits. Between playful moments and curiosity, the trio showcased the beauty of life in the Cerrado, offering a charming glimpse into the daily routine of these animals.

ECOTOURISM

At Onçafari, ecotourism connects you to nature and conservation in an unforgettable way.

At Caiman Pantanal, explore the world of jaguars; at Pousada Trijunção in the Cerrado, be enchanted by maned wolves.

Each safari is a transformative experience, guided by those who love nature.

Don’t miss the chance to join this unforgettable adventure! Email [email protected] to learn how to join us.

Follow our social networks and check out our website:

Sent by Onçafari
Avenida Magalhães de Castro, 4.800, 603 Torre 3
Jardim Panorama – São Paulo/SP – Brazil – ZIP Code: 05676-120

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