Jaguars Walk a Dangerous Path

Jaguars are top predators that need large spaces in which to live and hunt. In Belize, 35% of the land has been protected—but these areas are divided into two large clusters, connected by a crucial and dangerous bottleneck that the cats must navigate to survive.

Protecting that stretch of land is possible, but it takes time and coordination to safeguard the forest—so where to start first?

Researchers are using satellite tracking colors and remote camera traps to identify the jaguars’ favorite pathways through the unprotected land. By identifying the routes that jaguars prefer, conservation teams can focus their efforts on purchasing and protecting that forest first. It’s a strategy that’s worked so far, and the hope is to continue the effort to connect 18 countries from Mexico to Argentina to create a unified long-distance corridor for jaguars and other rainforest wildlife.