Sixty Degrees of Solutions: Field Techniques for Human–Jaguar Coexistence

Sixty Degrees of Solutions: Field Techniques for Human–Jaguar Coexistence

The current range of the jaguar (<i>Panthera onca</i>) spans sixty degrees of latitude across eighteen countries in the Western Hemisphere and covers approximately 7,000,000 km<sup>2</sup>. Throughout this geographical breadth, jaguars represent an essential component of nati...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: John Polisar, Rafael Hoogesteijn, Almira Hoogesteijn, Diego Francis Passos Viana, Skarleth Johana Chinchilla Valdiviezo, Carlos Valderrama Vásquez, Allison Loretta Devlin, Ranni José Arias Herrera, Margaux Babola, Frederick Bauer, Ivonne Cassaigne Guasco, Chia Yu Chang, Daniel Corrales Gutiérrez, J. Antonio De la Torre, Wezddy Del Toro-Orozco, Aline Kotz, Duston Larsen, Nicolás Lodeiro Ocampo, Daniel Monzón, Carmen Angélica Morante Ascanio, Ricardo Daniel Ortiz-Hoyos, Pablo Gastón Perovic, Grasiela Edith de Oliviero Porfirio, María Fernanda Puerto Carrillo, Paul Raad, Thiago Reginato, Yina Paola Serna, Claudio Sillero-Zubiri, Laura Villalba, Armand Ziller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
jaguars
depredation
human–jaguar coexistence
anti-depredation strategies
carnivore conservation
carnivores
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/9/1247
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The current range of the jaguar (<i>Panthera onca</i>) spans sixty degrees of latitude across eighteen countries in the Western Hemisphere and covers approximately 7,000,000 km<sup>2</sup>. Throughout this geographical breadth, jaguars represent an essential component of native biological diversity, but conflict revolving around real and perceived jaguar depredation on livestock is a factor in jaguar mortality. We developed a structured questionnaire to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-depredation strategies from northern Mexico to Argentina, collecting data from 11 countries and 248 livestock operations, 194 with efficacy metrics, and 24 with benefit–cost ratios (value of the livestock losses averted/cost of the intervention). Using coarse categories, 11 intervention types were tested. Techniques effectively reducing livestock losses were documented across the entire livestock operation size (2–130,000 ha, 5–30,000 head) and biome spectrum. While the techniques varied in complexity and required levels of investment, successful reductions in depredation were achieved at all levels. We conclude that anti-depredation strategies are highly effective, and when benefits are evaluated, they surpass costs, sometimes substantially. Given the proven efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the techniques described in this paper, we advocate for broader application across the species range to increase tolerance towards jaguars and a more effective human–jaguar coexistence.
ISSN:2076-2615

Similar Items