A multi-species corridor between the Andean Amazonian and Amazon floodplain landscapes: prioritizing ecological connectivity areas for jaguar and threatened ungulates in the north-eastern of South America

Researchers have identified a critical multi-species corridor spanning the Andean Amazonian and Amazon floodplain landscapes, essential for maintaining ecological connectivity for jaguars and threatened ungulates like the lowland tapir and collared peccary. This corridor, primarily associated with the hydric network of the upper and middle Caquetá River basin, connects key protected areas such as Alto Fragua Indi Wasi, La Paya, and Serranía del Chiribiquete National Natural Parks, as well as several regional parks. The study utilized potential distribution models, spatial morphological analysis, and resistance matrix modeling to pinpoint low-cost dispersal routes and prioritize connectivity nodes using the randomized shortest path algorithm. These findings highlight the importance of preserving these corridors to safeguard biodiversity in the face of accelerating habitat degradation due to deforestation, cattle ranching, and infrastructure development.

Mosquera-Guerra, F., Barreto, S., Palencia-Rivera, J. D., Velásquez-Valencia, A., Mantilla-Meluk, H., Bruges-Morales, G. A., Jiménez-Ortega, A. M., Trujillo, F., & Armenteras-Pascual, D. (2025). A multi-species corridor between the Andean Amazonian and Amazon floodplain landscapes: prioritizing ecological connectivity areas for jaguar and threatened ungulates in the north-eastern of South America. Discover Conservation, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44353-025-00032-4