Study maps 6.5 million km² jaguar connectivity network across 11 countries

An international study published in Global Change Biology has identified a 6.5 million square kilometer network of natural environments that connects jaguar populations across 11 South American countries. Led by researcher Guilherme Costa Alvarenga from the Mamirauá Institute and the University of Oxford, the research serves as a vital blueprint for the conservation of the Americas' largest feline.

By analyzing 231,017 GPS location records from 172 monitored jaguars, researchers mapped 307 core areas totaling approximately 7.75 million square kilometers, representing 55% of the species' current distribution. The study also identified 176 dispersal corridors essential for movement, territory establishment, and finding mates.

The network spans diverse ecosystems, including the Amazon, the Pantanal, the Gran Chaco, the Cerrado, and the Caatinga. A significant connection was identified through the Green Corridor between Argentina and Brazil, linking the Atlantic Forest. While about half of these areas are within protected lands or Indigenous territories, the study warns that roads, urban expansion, and agricultural activities threaten to fragment these habitats and isolate populations, risking the genetic diversity necessary for the species' survival.