6 October 2016
In zoos, work is primarily with the animals on site by providing information about them to our visitors and followers, as well as by working together with other zoos in so-called conservation breeding programmes. This work is called ex situ which aims to mean that the animals are in another location. However, we sometimes come into contact with so-called in situ works, where the animals are present in their natural environment in the wild. These collaborations are incredibly important for both parties, and it is precisely through collaborations that we have an opportunity to address the threats that today underpin the decline of species.
The Programa Amigas da Onca project, which is part of the Brazilian research and conservation organisation Pro Carnivoros, is just one such in situ work. Claudia Campos, who holds a PhD in Biology, is leading the project which aims to find out more about the migration routes, territories, and lifestyles of jaguars and pumas. Among other things, they have worked with camera traps and helped local communities build predator-proof enclosures for livestock.
The project is based in Petrolina in the Caatinga biome. The location where they work is a four to five-hour drive southwest of Petrolina, in an area called Boqueirão da Onça. It is a mountainous, dry, and surprisingly wild area that is approximately 2-3,000 square kilometres in size. The area is sparsely populated, dry, and the entire Caatinga biome belongs to Brazil's poorest regions. The area is covered with low trees, bushes, and cacti, and in certain areas, there are trees that are green year-round. In the project area, one of the last remnants of a jaguar population remains. It is there because the area is difficult to access and mountainous. Therefore, it is important that it is protected and allowed to grow to spread to neighbouring areas. It is proposed to make the area a national park, which has been discussed in the state of Bahia where it is located. There is also discussion around the possibility of constructing wind turbines in the area, which makes the work of mapping the animals' lives even more important, to predict the potential impact of wind turbines on wildlife.
This autumn, jaguars and pumas will be fitted with GPS transmitters. One aim of this is to see how and where they move. A wind power company is therefore covering the organisation's main costs for vets, GPS transmitters and the work involved in this analysis.
Another part of the study, which is independent of the one previously mentioned and is being conducted by Sweden's Jonatan Borling, is to examine the prey choices of jaguars and pumas. This is to ascertain the extent of predation on domestic animals and where it occurs, in order to assist livestock owners in securing their herds. It will also investigate which wild animals the predators hunt and whether there is a need to protect them from other hunting as well, and to secure their natural habitats.
Jonatan is currently in Brazil and updates us on how the work is progressing when the opportunity arises. If you wish to follow his work, you can go to his Blog or keep an eye out for our updates. You can also help Jonatan carry out his work, you do this here.