In South American mythology there exist beings whose function is to protect animals hunted by man, whether for their meat or their hides. They thus defend them from insatiable hunters.
The pombero
This being, probably originating in the Chaco-Santiago region, is notably widespread in the Argentine Littoral zone, though with slight variants.
The pombero of Santiago del Estero has a slender, stylized figure, unlike its counterpart in the Mesopotamia region of Argentina, where it takes on the appearance of a good goblin who helps those in need and those who ask for help, while wandering through the jungle watching over the birds and the trees against aggressive and harmful men. But in the version of the pombero from Argentine Mesopotamia, this being has the ability to take on different forms: a tree, a ferocious animal, although its most common form would be that of a chubby dwarf dressed in frayed trousers.
When the pombero hears voices, it quickly hides among the trees to spy on whoever has intruded into its world and what kind of intentions they bring. And so, through various tricks, it will attempt to prevent any aggression against nature. These “tricks” can range from imitating animal roars to sudden downpours that frighten away the intruders.