Archive for the ‘Mexico’ Tag

There are an estimated 15,000 jaguars remaining in the wild. Of this, the Aros-Yaqui population in Sonora, Mexico number less than 100. They are the largest breeding jaguar population found in this part of their range. With habitat loss in Mexico and conflict with Mexican cattle ranchers, the jaguar population has continually diminished. Ranchers blame jaguars for the deaths of livestock and will shoot on sight to preempt an anticipated attack.

Conservation organizations have responded to the jaguar’s habitat needs. In 2003, Naturalia created a 10,000 acre jaguar reserve known as Los Pavos ranch. This ranch consists of subtropical woodland and thornscrub along the Rio Aros in the heart of jaguar territory. Following purchase of the ranch, cattle were removed and “jaguar guardians” hired. The “jaguar guardians” live on-site, conducting field studies of jaguars and other animals.

Now Naturalia, Wildlands Project, and the Northern Jaguar Project, are working to expand this 10,000 acre reserve to 50,000 acres. A 10,000-acre reserve is not sufficient to sustain jaguar populations. Male jaguars in arid lands need as much as 50 square miles of territory or more. Expansion of the reserve to 50,000 acres not only helps jaguars, but it also helps other critical species such as the eared trogons, military macaws, ocelots, and the southernmost-known nesting bald eagles. Fortunately, just this month, through donations by Exbiblio and other donors, the deed for the 40,000-acre ranch was signed and the first payment made. The organizations now need to raise approximately $900,000 by January 2008 to make the final payment and secure the 40,000-acre ranch.

In addition to this 50,000-acre reserve, these organizations are working with ranchers in the area to ensure the large corridor areas that jaguars need are safe for passage. One example of their work is “the bounty” program. Under this program, automatic cameras are set up on nearby ranches and the organizations hire ranch workers to maintain these cameras. Whenever a camera photographs a jaguar, the ranch owner will receive a payment—sometimes as much as $500. The photographs are then used to create a map of jaguar migration routes or “corridors.” These corridors and the sites they connect are critical to jaguar survival.

Through this program, the jaguar is now more valuable to the rancher alive than dead. More importantly, mindsets are being changed and partnerships formed. Now ranchers are asking “how can we get more of those jaguars on our ranch.” This is just what is necessary if we are going to recover the jaguar: protecting core habitat reserves and conserving safe corridors to allow dispersal of the species to other areas to encourage recolonizing.