IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Petracca, L.S.; Hernandez-Potosme, S.; Obando-Sampson, L.; Salom-Perez, R.; Quigley, H.; Robinson, H.S. | |
| Agricultural encroachment and lack of enforcement threaten connectivity of range-wide jaguar (_Panthera onca_) corridor | |
| 2014 Journal for Nature Conservation (22): 436-444 | |
The purpose of protected areas is to safeguard natural habitats and their biodiversity. However, few protected areas area large enough for the long-term conservation of resident species, making the landscapes surrounding protected areas equally important for species conservation. This is especially true for wide-ranging carnivores such as the jaguar (Panthera onca), for which conservation strategies stress the maintenance of range-wide habitat connectivity via protected areas and dispersal corridors. We used 587 interviews with local people in 441 36-km2 sampling units to assess the presence of jaguar and six prey species in a critical corridor in Central America, linking Bosawas Biosphere Reserve and Wawashan Nature Reserve in Nicaragua. We analyzed these data using single-season false-positive detection models in a site occupancy framework. We found that agricultural encroachment, particularly pervasive within a protected area, was the main factor limiting the presence of jaguar and three large-bodied prey species: white-lipped peccary (_Tayassu pecari_ ), collared peccary (_Pecari tajacu_), and red brocket deer (_Mazama americana_). We suggest that improperly-managed protected areas can suffer the loss of apex predators and their prey, thereby jeopardizing range-wide conservation strategies for threatened species. |
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