The Jaguar: Hope for a Brighter Future in the Americas

Abstract

The jaguar, an important symbol across the Americas, is one of the three largest cats in the world. Despite the ecological and cultural importance of this species, its populations are decreasing due to numerous threats such as habitat loss and degradation, poaching, prey depletion, among others. Prior to 1900s, the jaguar lived from southern United States to Río Negro, in the middle of Argentina. Today, its range has contracted by 50%; they are virtually extirpated from the USA and small populations remain in northern Argentina. It is estimated that no more than 180,000 jaguars remain in the wild. We present an overview of current efforts, at international, national and local levels, to conserve the species throughout the Americas. We hope this chapter will be of interest for students and professionals and motivate future work towards the conservation of this magnificent creature.