The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) has taken legal action seeking to prevent the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) from proceeding with the culling of invasive buffaloes in three environmental reserves in Rondônia, Brazil. This culling is part of an experimental project aimed at eradicating roughly 5,000 invasive animals. However, the MPF argues that ICMBio failed to notify the judiciary prior to initiating the action and did not submit the necessary control plan mandated by law. The MPF is firm in its position that without proper judicial notification and planning, the action is illegitimate.

This situation is not new; in 2025, the MPF initiated a Public Civil Action aimed at compelling ICMBio and the State of Rondônia to implement urgent measures for controlling the invasive Asian buffalo population. Additionally, the MPF seeks 20 million BRL in collective moral damages, which is intended to fund reforestation efforts within the federal and state conservation units in Rondônia. These steps highlight the ongoing struggle between conservation efforts, the invasive species problem, and the legal responsibilities of governmental agencies.

The case is currently being processed in the 2nd Federal Civil and Criminal Court of the Judicial Section in Ji-Paraná, RO. As debates over wildlife management and conservation policy continue to develop in Brazil, this legal challenge reflects broader themes of environmental governance, protection of biodiversity, and the tensions between conservation strategies and human interests.