Introduction
As the human population continues to increase, so to does our use of natural resources, and the loss of natural habitats. Wildlife is forced to live smaller and smaller areas of habitat and in increasing proximity to people. For large carnivores, such as the jaguar, in particular, competition with people for space and prey can result in conflict. The greatest cause of human-jaguar conflict (HJC) is the depredation of livestock by jaguars, which results in financial loss to ranchers and the retaliatory killing of jaguars by local people.
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| Within this section you will find information about:
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| Livestock Depredation & Retaliatory Killing of Jaguars |
The livestock species most commonly killed by jaguars are: cattle, pigs & domestic dogs.
Depredation & Retaliation Summary - Coming Soon!
A summary of the data available in HJC-related literature regarding the numbers of livestock killed by jaguars, and the number of jaguars killed in retaliation for an actual or perceived threat to livestock or human life will be available here soon.
To receive notification when this data is available please register for Updates from Jaguar Conservation Network. |
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Very few data detailing the economic impact of livestock depredation by jaguars are currently available. However from the information that does exist, it is apparent that financial losses vary significantly between locations. For example:
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In the Alta Floresta region of Brzilian Amazonia average livestock losses over a two year period amounted to: US$290 for farms with less than 500 cattle; US$1,393 for farms with 500-1,500 cattle; and, US$1,770 for farms with more than 1,500 cattle (see: Michalski et al 2006) |
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On one ranch in Northern Goiás, Mid-Western Brazil, livestock losses to jaguar and puma amounted to R$ 80,700 (US$25,865) over 6 years, with an average loss per year of R$13,450 (US$4,310) (see: Palmeira 2004) |
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42 properties surrounding the Iguaçu National Park, south Brazil, suffered in total a financial loss in one year of less than US$3,000, with the average loss representing 0.4% of the total livetsock holdings
(see: Conforti & Azevedo 2003) |
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On two ranches in Brazil livestock losses to jaguars represented 0.84% of total livestock holdings with an annual financial loss of US$28,500
(see: Dalponte 2002) |
| Jaguar vs Puma |
Pumas (Puma concolor) are found across much of the jaguar's range. As such it is often interesting and necessary to examine the patterns and trends in conflict for both species. As both species only very rarely attack people (see below for details of jaguar attacks on humans) the majority of research focuses on livestock depredation. Differences in the age and type of livestock attacked have been identified, with jaguars showing a greater tendency to kill adult cattle than pumas1,2. The number of losses accountable to each species however, varies between locations, with jaguars being responsible for the greatest number of losses in some areas3,4, and pumas2,5 in others.
For further information see the following papers:
| Author(s) |
Title |
| 4Conforti & Azevezo 2003 |
Local perceptions of jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) in Iguaçu National Park area, south Brazil. |
| Crawshaw 2004 |
Depredation of domestic animals by large cats in Brazil. |
| 1Crawshaw & Quigley 1984 |
A ecologia do jaguar ou onca pintada no Pantanal. |
| Jorgenson & Redford 1993 |
Humans and big cats as predators in the Neotropics. |
| 3Michalski et al 2006 |
Human-wildlife conflicts in a fragmented Amazonian forest landscape: determinants of large felid depredation on livestock. |
| Palmeira & Barrella 2007 |
Conflitos causados pela predação de rebanhos domésticos por grandes felinos em comunidades quilombolas na Mata Atlântica. |
| 2Polisar et al 2003 |
Jaguars, pumas, their prey base, cattle ranching: ecological interpretations of a management problem. |
| 5Scognamillo et al 2002 |
Ecologia del Jaguar y el problema de la depredacion de ganado en un hato de Los Llanos venezolanos. |
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| Attacks on Humans |
Jaguars are the least likely of the big cats to attack people, although attacks do occur. Such attacks are only rarely documented in the academic literature. Reports of attacks come from Argentina, with 10 attacks (2 of which were fatal) occurring between 1991 and 1995 (Perovic & Herràn 1998), and one further attack in the northern Argentine chaco in 1995 (Altrichter et al., 2006).
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| The Human Dimension of Conflict |
Attitudes towards, and perceptions of jaguars, coupled with individual or cultural beliefs about the species, can influence the scale of conflict, particularly the degree of retaliation local people take in response to, or in prevention of, a real or perceived threat to livestock or human life.
The following papers explore the human dimension of HJC in more detail:
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| Author(s) |
Title |
| Altrichter et al 2006 |
The decline of jaguars Panthera onca in the Argentine Chaco |
| Conforti & Azevedo 2003 |
Local perceptions of jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) in the Iguaçu National Park area, south Brazil |
| Palmeira & Barella 2007 |
Conflitos causados pela de rebanhos domésticos por grandes felinos em comunidades quilombolas na Mata Atlantica. |
| Zimmermann et al 2005 |
Cattle ranchers' attitudes to conflicts with jaguar Panthera onca in the Pantanal of Brazil |
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A number of conflict management techniques have been used to try to reduce human-jaguar conflict, including for example, improvement of livestock husbandry techniques, aversion conditioning, translocation, and the use of guard animals. Many of these haven't been rigorously and scientifically evaluated and as such there is little information concerning the success or failures of these techniques.
HJC Management Summary Coming Soon!
Details of the applied and evaluated human-jaguar conflict management strategies as reported in the HJC-related literature will be avialable here soon.
To receive notification when this data is available please register for Updates from Jaguar Conservation Network.
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| Human-Jaguar Conflict Manuals |
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Arispe R., E. Cuéllar & I. Combes (2005) Jaguares y pumas, el problema de la depredación de ganado. Guía informativa. Adapted from Rafael Hoogesteijn's manual on the problems of jaguar and predation on cattle (WCS Jaguar Program, 2001). WCS-Bolivia & Fundación Kaa Iya, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. |
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Hoogesteijn, R. 2003. Manual on the Problem of Depredation caused by Jaguars and Pumas on Cattle Ranches. B.Kuperman (translator). WCS Report. |
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Hoogesteijn, R. 2003. Manual sobre problemas de depredación causados por jaguars y pumas en hatos ganaderos. S.Marchini (translator). WCS Report. |
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Hoogesteijn, R. 2003. Manual sobre os problemas de predação causados por onças-pintadas e onças-pardas em fazendas de gado. WCS Report. |
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Marchini, S. & Luciano, R. 2009. Guia de convivência gente e onças. Fundação Ecológica Cristalino, Alta Floresta, Brazil & Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford, UK. 38pp. |
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Pitman, M. R. P. L., de Oliveira, T. G., de Paula, R.C., Indrusiak, C. 2002. Manual de identificação, prevenção e controle de predação por carnívoros. Brasília: Edições IBAMA. 83pp. |
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Soto, J., Lopez, G., Merida, M., Raxon, W., Dubon, T., Lopez, J. 2008. Conviviendo con el jaguar. Guia para ganaderos. WCS-Guatemala. |
If you would like to contribute information to any of the above sections
please contact us.
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