Reconciling biome-wide conservation of an apex carnivore with land-use economics in the increasingly threatened Pantanal wetlands

A recent study reveals that the Pantanal wetlands, a critical UNESCO World Heritage Site, could support jaguar conservation while balancing economic activities. The research found that 64% of the Pantanal offers suitable habitat for jaguars (Panthera onca), with jaguar presence positively linked to ecotourism and negatively correlated with intensive cattle ranching. This suggests a viable coexistence between conservation and land-use economics, though wildfires pose a growing threat by overlapping with jaguar habitats. The study used spatial models—jaguar distribution model (JDM), livestock density model, and ecotourism lodge density model—to assess these relationships across the biome. Highlighting the Pantanal's global significance as a jaguar stronghold, the findings underscore the need for proactive fire management to safeguard this apex predator and its ecosystem.

Tortato, F. R., Hoogesteijn, R., Devlin, A. L., Quigley, H. B., Bolzan, F., Izzo, T. J., Ferraz, K. M. P. M. B., & Peres, C. A. (2021). Reconciling biome-wide conservation of an apex carnivore with land-use economics in the increasingly threatened Pantanal wetlands. Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-02142-0