Jaguars strike again! Conservationists spot “majestic” feline for the second time this year using 120 camera traps
The sighting took place along a jungle corridor connecting Guatemala and Honduras, and marks the first time in a decade that the conservationists have seen the species on both sides of this border region
Conservationists from Panthera have captured images of a majestic jaguar using 120 camera traps, marking the second sighting of the elusive feline in the binational corridor this year. The adult male jaguar was first spotted in February, leading to the first observation of the species in a decade on both sides of the Guatemala-Honduras border.
Dr. Bárbara Escobar Anleu, Panthera's Guatemala country coordinator, expressed excitement over the sighting, emphasizing the importance of preserving the critical jungle passageway that connects jaguar populations in the region. Jaguars, the largest cat species in the Western Hemisphere, are present in 18 countries, with an estimated 173,000 individuals remaining in the wild.
However, habitat destruction and fragmentation have resulted in a significant loss of the species' historical range, and jaguars are classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Panthera initiated monitoring efforts in the binational corridor in 2017, placing camera traps to detect female jaguars and assess their reproductive status.
Despite being more elusive than males, female jaguars play a crucial role in ensuring the survival of the species, as evidenced by the recent male jaguar sightings.
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