Juan L. Peña-Mondragón

Livestock predation by jaguars Panthera onca in south-eastern Mexico: the role of local peoples’ practices

Inadequate livestock husbandry practices threaten the maintenance of global biodiversity and provoke conflicts between people and wildlife, and large carnivorous mammals are among the most affected. The jaguar Panthera onca is one of the most threatened species in the Americas, being targeted by livestock producers who suffer economic losses as a result of predation. The way in which rural producers in countries such as Mexico conduct husbandry practices may influence levels of predation by jaguars. Our objective was to understand how such practices are conducted in the Selva Lacandona in south-eastern Mexico, to identify their influence on the vulnerability of livestock to predation by jaguars. We characterized local husbandry practices through participant observation, interviews and surveys. Our results show that the most important practices that make livestock vulnerable to predation include the location of grazing lands close to forested areas and water sources, the absence of practices for the proper disposal of carcasses, and poor control of calving and care of calves. Our recommendations include monitoring of livestock movements and synchronization of calving. Economic investment and behavioural change can be accomplished through capacity building and providing people with the means to monitor and manage their livestock. Small actions can reduce livestock losses and improve the economic circumstances of rural people, and thus increase their tolerance and respect towards jaguars.

Perceptions and Knowledge of the Jaguar Among Children in Communities Neighboring the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas, Mexico

This study describes perceptions and knowledge of the jaguar among children in communities neighboring the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas, Mexico. There have been several cases of livestock depredation by the jaguar in these communities, and the study aimed to determine children’s perceptions of the jaguar in light of this problem. A total of 102 children from four communities on the banks of the Rio Lacantún River, adjacent to the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, were involved in the study. The children were between 6 and 12 years old. Interviews, drawing, and participant observation were the main research tools employed. A high percentage of the children recognize the jaguar as a species that lives in the jungle. Likewise, they consider it to be a dangerous animal that eats people and livestock. In general, the children had little knowledge of the physical characteristics of the species. This study represents an initial step in defining methodologies for socioecological studies with children. Immediate lines of action have been identified from the data generated, and these will form a basis for an environmental education strategy in the region.