Protecting Two Key Regions In Belize Could Save Threatened Jaguar
January 7, 2020
By Eurasia Review
Scientists studying one of the largest populations of jaguars in Central Belize have identified several wildlife corridors that should be protected to help the species survival. The study, led by the University of Bristol and the American Museum of Natural History and published in BMC Genetics, provide a new insight into where conservation efforts should be concentrated.
Jaguars are top predators inhabiting large areas of Belize’s tropical forests and have a vast range spanning thousands of square miles. However, high deforestation rates for large-scale agricultural development and a constantly changing landscape mean jaguars are under increased threat and now listed as ‘near threatened’ on the IUCN red list of threatened species.
Dr Angelica Menchaca, the study’s lead researcher who led the study while a PhD student at Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences, said: “Jaguars don’t stay in one place and can move long distances often through unprotected areas between reserves. Areas in between national parks with human activity may put jaguars at risk from retaliatory killing, conflict with cattle ranchers and limit connectivity between reserves.”
In order to improve conservation and management issues, the team monitored genetic population structure and predicted jaguars’ movement corridors to understand how they relate to each other, and how feasible it is to maintain connectivity between reserves.
More:
https://www.eurasiareview.com/07012020-protecting-two-key-regions-in-belize-could-save-threatened-jaguar/
