In Peru, we have several species of animals in danger of extinction, but among them one stands

out that is essential for biodiversity in our Amazon. We are talking about the jaguar (Panthera
Onca), also known as otorongo or uturuncu, the largest cat in South America and the third largest
in the world. For this reason, International Jaguar Day is celebrated every November 29, with the
aim of raising awareness among the population about this beautiful and important species, which
in turn is the symbol of the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. Let’s learn more about this
endangered animal, below.

The jaguar in Peru

Did you know that around 50% of its presence in Peruvian territory has been lost and that it has
even disappeared in countries like Uruguay and El Salvador? According to a study by the Herencia
Ambiental Caribe and Panthera foundations, Conservation International and the Feline Specialist
Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), only 22,000 jaguars remain in
Peru, of which it is estimated that there are between 2 to 4 specimens per 100 km2 in reserved
areas and half in non-reserved areas. It is an alarming figure, considering that this feline normally
only has litters of between 1 to 2 babies.

Where is the jaguar found in Peru?

The jaguar lives mainly in forests with dense vegetation and bodies of water; as well as in flooded
grasslands, swampy areas and dry forests. It is found throughout the lowland and premountain
jungle up to 2000 meters of altitude, in the departments of Loreto, Ucayali, Madre de Dios, Puno,
Cusco (Lower Urubamba), San Martín, Junín and Pasco, in the latter it has been recorded, through
camera traps, the presence of jaguars within the Yanachaga Chemillén National Park, in the Palcazú
area.

Why is the jaguar important?

The importance of the jaguar lies in the fact that it is a species considered one of the indicators of
the state of forest conservation. If the ecosystem has viable populations of jaguars and the prey
they feed on, then it is a healthy ecosystem. For this reason, the jaguar is called by scientists as “an
umbrella species”, since its conservation will ensure that of other species with which it coexists.

Why is the jaguar in danger of extinction in Peru?

Among the main causes that have made the jaguar one of the endangered species, we have
deforestation, illegal trafficking, fragmentation of its habitat, indiscriminate hunting and conflict
with humans because it is considered a danger in the activity. Local livestock (jaguars eat animals
from surrounding towns). Another threat is the disappearance of species that are part of the
jaguar’s food chain. This situation is called “defaunation” or the existence of a low-quality habitat
for the feline.
How can I help protect the jaguar in Peru?

To help preserve and conserve the jaguar, you must first inform yourself correctly about this
wonderful species and raise awareness about the danger of its possible extinction. Let's help the
cause reach spaces of social and political conversation, so that more people and entities can be
part of it.

An important fact to take into account is that the jaguar is a species that requires large areas of
land to establish its territory, so it is necessary to detect areas that function as "biological
corridors" in order to allow the flow of specimens. one population to another and thus maintain
the genetic health of the jaguar.

There is also the Camisea Biodiversity Monitoring Program (PMB) in Bajo Urubamba, in the Cusco
region, which carries out monitoring work on this species with the help of local communities.

Remember that you can also help the conservation of the jaguar by avoiding buying souvenirs
made with parts of the species, especially its fangs. Additionally, we can help raise awareness
among more Peruvians about the situation of the jaguar, and thus ensure that more Peruvian
ecosystems can survive.