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 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.

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Publication Details

Journal
Animals
Published
2025-04-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15091247
Citations
5
Primary Topic
Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
9.09

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article

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

D. Gutiérrez, Ricardo Daniel Ortiz-Hoyos, Almira L. Hoogesteijn, M. Carrillo et al.
5 citations
Animals
Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
9.09
article

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

D. Gutiérrez, Ricardo Daniel Ortiz-Hoyos, Almira L. Hoogesteijn, M. Carrillo, Aline Kotz, John Polisar, Frederick Charles Bauer, Pablo G. Perovic, J. Antonio de la Torre, Wezddy Del Toro-Orozco, Rafael Hoogesteijn, Nicolás Lodeiro Ocampo, Allison L. Devlin, Claudio Sillero‐Zubiri, Duston Larsen, Carlos A. Valderrama Vasquez, Diego Francis Passos Viana, Ivonne Cassaigne, Skarleth Chinchilla, Grasiela Edith de Oliveira Porfírio, Laura Villalba, Margaux Babola, Chun‐Yen Chang, Richard de Jesús Gil Herrera, Daniel Monzón, Carmen Angélica Morante Ascanio, Paul Raad, Thiago Reginato, Yina Paola Serna, Armand Ziller
article en
5 citations

Abstract

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.

AnimalsVol. 15(9)
Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School (HN), Wildlife Conservation Society (US), Panthera Corporation (US), University of Georgia (US), Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (VE), University of French Guiana (GF), Belize Zoo (BZ), University of Oxford (GB), Instituto Pró-Carnívoros (BR), Fundación para la Investigación, Docencia y Prevención del Cáncer (AR), Universidad Nacional Experimental de los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora (VE), Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (BR), Office Français de la Biodiversité, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX)
National Geographic Society
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
9.09
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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