Jun de 2010

Corridors are natural areas necessary to allow the movement of species between protected areas. They are very important since protected areas alone are not enough to sustain in the long term viable populations of species with large territorial requirements, such as the jaguar. One of the most important corridors for jaguars is joining Baritú National Park (Argentina) with the Tariquía Fauna and Flora Reserve (Bolivia).

Since a year ago we started a project investigating the use of this corridor by the Jaguars, seeking to identify potential habitat, prey presence and potential threats, among others.

Actions

We conducted several field trips, covering much of the corridor and locating people (mostly farmers) with knowledge of the prey species and to recognize the Jaguar tracks. We conducted surveys at each site on the presence of jaguars, as well as six prey species and their frequency: collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu), white-lipped peccary (Tayassu peccary), brown brocket (Mazama gouazoubira), red brocket (Mazama americana) , acutí (Dasiprocta punctata) and capybara (Hydrochoeris hydrochaeris) and the respondent's attitude toward the Jaguars.

Potential habitat

Based on the records of jaguar presence we got, environmental variables, topographic and using modeling programs (Maxent) we are developing a potential distribution map for the species. A small portion of the corridor is lost through land use and is not compatible with its biological requirements, such as villages and crops. However, 80% of the corridor still contains suitable habitat for jaguars.

Prey

We found all the major species of which jaguar feeds, the most frequent was the acutí, the rarer the capybara, which is found primarily in rivers, however, in many waterways near towns where they lived before, is currently extinct. The other prey of the Jaguar are still relatively abundant, although in many places are hunted by humans, so this could be competing with the jaguar for the same resource. In places of the corridor where Jaguar is no longer living, are still its prey species, providing a good future potential.

Threats

One of the main threats to the connectivity of the corridor is human population growth and the environmental change that accompanies it, mainly along National Route 1 (Bolivia) across the corridor. However, we identify sites on this route with records of jaguar cross. In the future, it will be crucial to encourage large land owners to conserve their natural state to ensure connectivity at the landscape level.

Currently, no local resident has a positive attitude toward the species and farmers suffer losses of livestock in areas of contact between jaguar and its livestock, performed extensively and down the forest. As a result, a large number of jaguars killed in retaliation for attacks on calves. This conflict is more intensive in Bolivia, where we could record poaching within the same Tariquía Reserve, home to 3,000 people, mostly farmers who have co-management of the area. This is a clear sign that within protected areas should be intensified controls and within and outside them is necessary to develop actions to minimize the conflict. To achieve a change in long-term perception it will be necessary awareness projects with school children.

Biological studies

To confirm a minimum viable population in the corridor it will be necesary to estimate the jaguar density. That is, to know the number of jaguars and the hunting pressure they receive. In addition, with this information and the ability of the ecosystem, population models can be made to identify opportunities for future survival.

We work to ensure a path for the Yaguareté between Argentina and Bolivia.

Will you join us?