Starting with the Tagua
The CCCI began its activities in 1985 as the "Tagua Project," with the main objective of studying and breeding Catagonus wagneri in captivity. Its creation was made possible through the efforts of Paraguayan and American researchers, through an agreement between the San Diego Zoo Society (USA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Paraguay), and the United States Peace Corps. Its inception came in response to the alarming decline in the population of this recently rediscovered species.
The Chaco, Home of CCCI
The Tagua Project began its operations by establishing itself in October 1986 in the Defensores del Chaco National Park, Alto Paraguay Department. However, due to the frequent inaccessibility of this site during rainy periods, it was decided in the same year to relocate it to a more convenient location. Currently, the CCCI remains located in this second location in Fortín Toledo, Boquerón Department, approximately 35 km from the city of Filadelfia.
The South American Gran Chaco
The CCCI is located in the Dry Chaco region of Paraguay, which is part of the South American Gran Chaco.
The Gran Chaco extends from definitively tropical latitudes to clearly subtropical environments, covering from 57º West to 66º West. The approximate surface area of the Gran Chaco ranges from 1,100,000 to 1,200,000 square kilometers, equivalent to 6% of South America's geographical space. 46% is in Argentina, 34% in Paraguay, and the remaining 20% in Bolivia with a very small area in Brazil. The region exhibits marked climatic gradients. Annual average temperatures range from 18 to 26°C, while maximum rainfall occurs near the Paraguay River, with average annual values of 1,300 mm, whereas in most of the Dry Chaco, rainfall ranges around 500 mm. Rainfall is heavily concentrated in the summer, with very dry winters and humid, hot summers.
Fortín Toledo
Fortín Toledo is a historically significant site where the Battle of Toledo during the Chaco War took place. The fort and other remnants of the battle, such as the cemeteries of Paraguayan and Bolivian soldiers, are neighbors of the CCCI.
For many years, CCCI members preserved the history and infrastructure of these historic sites, maintaining cemeteries and collecting artifacts from the battle. Presently, the site is maintained by the Paraguayan government and features replicas of military structures like mud offices and underground trenches. Busts of prominent figures from this battle can also be observed on-site. Several battle artifacts collected by CCCI members are now on display at the "Fortín Toledo Museum," inaugurated near the CCCI in June 2022.
The founding of the CCCI.
The researchers involved in the "Tagua Project" saw the great potential of this area for research and conservation of other species. Therefore, in 2010, the "Tagua Project" was renamed "Tagua Project Association" and established as "The Chacoan Center for Conservation and Research."