Jaguar Country: Exploring Belize's Big Cat Habitat

Jaguars are the third-largest big cat in the world, and they once roamed freely from the southwest of the US to the grasslands of central Argentina. However, their range has been greatly reduced due to road development and burning forests. They are also often killed by farmers who believe they are responsible for killing their livestock. Belize is now one of the few countries with a healthy and thriving jaguar population, and it is home to the world's only jaguar preserve, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. This 150-square-mile sanctuary was established in 1984 and is now home to approximately 200 wild jaguars. Jaguars are typically nocturnal hunters, so your best chance of spotting one is at night. They are also rarely seen during the day, as they are shy and have excellent camouflage. However, you may occasionally see them sunning themselves or hear their roars at night.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the Stann Creek District of south-central Belize. It was established in 1986 as the world's first protected area for the conservation of the jaguar (Panthera onca). The sanctuary spans an area of about 150 square miles of tropical forest and is regarded as a premier site for jaguar preservation globally.

History

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary was established through the efforts of American zoologist Alan Rabinowitz, who, in 1986, convinced the Belizean government to create a no-hunting zone for jaguars in a portion of the Cockscomb Basin. By 1990, the sanctuary was substantially expanded, and in 1995, an additional 160 square kilometres were added to connect it to the Bladen Branch Nature Reserve.

Geography and Ecology

The sanctuary is characterised by its lozenge shape, with an east-west dimension of approximately 36 kilometres and a north-south dimension of about 14 kilometres. It is bounded by the Maya Mountains to the west and the Cockscomb Mountains to the north, with Victoria Peak, Belize's highest mountain, marking its northern boundary. The site consists of two distinct adjacent watersheds: the West Basin, drained by the Swasey Branch, and the East Basin, comprising the upper watershed of South Stann Creek. The West Basin remains relatively unexplored due to its remote location and dense forest cover.

The principal plant communities and habitats within the sanctuary include Belizean pine forests, elfin scrub, Petén-Veracruz moist forests, sheltered valley forests, and floodplain thickets. The dominant forest type is tropical moist broadleaf forest, featuring trees such as mahogany and cedar. The sanctuary is also known for its lush broadleaf rainforest along mountain streams, with frequent rapids, waterfalls, and deep pools.

Wildlife

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is renowned for its diverse wildlife, including jaguars, pumas, ocelots, margays, jaguarundis, tapirs, anteaters, armadillos, brocket deer, coatimundis, kinkajous, otters, peccaries, and numerous bird species. It is estimated to be home to 40 to 50 jaguars and over 290 bird species. The sanctuary also houses a thriving community of black howler monkeys near the visitors' centre.

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Preserve

The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Preserve is a nature reserve in the Cayo District of southern central Belize. It was established in 1944 to protect Belizean pine forests, predominantly Caribbean pine trees. The reserve covers an area of about 300,000 acres or 430 square kilometres, with pine forest making up 58.5% of the landscape, broadleaf forest 36.8%, grassland 3.4%, and wetland 0.6%. The elevation of the reserve averages between 400 and 700 metres, with the highest point being Baldy Beacon at 1,017 metres. The Macal River forms the boundaries of the reserve to the west and south and is fed by tributaries including Rio Frio, Rio On, Privassion Creek, and Pinol Creek.

The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Preserve is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. The reserve is known for its large mammals, including jaguars, ocelots, cougars, Baird's tapirs, and white-nosed coatis. It is also home to a small population of Morelet's crocodiles. Bird species found in the reserve include the rufous-capped warbler, common crossbill, pine siskin, eastern bluebird, stygian owl, king vulture, and red-lored parrot. The area also boasts beautiful waterfalls, streams, and caves that can be explored on foot, such as the Rio Frio Cave, Rio On Pools, and Big Rock Falls.

The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Preserve offers a range of activities for visitors, including hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. It is a popular destination for nature lovers and those seeking to reconnect with the natural world. The reserve is accessible by car, although the roads are reportedly in poor condition, and some areas may be difficult to reach without a 4WD vehicle.

The Mountain Pine Ridge area has a long history, with evidence of Mayan civilisation dating back to as early as 1200 BC. The Maya had a city at Caracol on the borders of the modern reserve, and Mayan artefacts have been discovered in Barton Creek Cave, suggesting it was used as a ritual site.

The Belize Zoo

The zoo's focus is on educating visitors about the wildlife of Belize, with the aim of instilling appreciation, pride, and a desire to protect and conserve Belize's natural resources. The animals at the zoo are either rescued, confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, or transferred from other rehab and zoological facilities. The habitats designed for the animals reflect their natural settings, providing an immersive educational experience for visitors.

The zoo offers both daytime and night tours, allowing visitors to observe the diverse range of animals and their behaviour. The night tour includes observing crepuscular and nocturnal animals, such as tapirs, jaguars, margays, kinkajous, crocodiles, peccaries, and howler monkeys.

Jaguar hunting and skin trading

Jaguars are the third-largest big cat species in the world and are native to the Americas. They are the only living member of the genus Panthera native to the Americas. Their range extends from the Southwestern United States across Mexico and much of Central America, the Amazon rainforest, and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. They are an important part of the mythology of indigenous peoples of the Americas, including the Aztec and Maya civilizations.

Jaguars have been hunted for their stunning pelts, which are highly valued, since the days of the ancient Maya. They are also killed in retaliation for livestock depredation and for the illegal trade in their body parts. Their body parts are used in traditional Chinese medicine and their fangs and claws are symbols of luxury and status in a subculture called wenwan.

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in Belize is the world's first protected area for jaguar conservation. It was established in 1986 and is home to the largest concentration of wild cat species in the world, providing a protected environment for around 200 jaguars. The sanctuary covers an area of about 150 square miles of tropical forest and is renowned for its bird populations, boasting up to 300 recorded species.

The international trade in jaguar parts is also a concern in other Latin American countries such as Colombia, Suriname, and Brazil. In Colombia, it is common to find jaguar claws, skins, and fangs for sale in certain parts of the country. Local communities often hunt jaguars in retaliation for attacks on livestock or humans. In Suriname, jaguars have been killed, chopped up, and illegally exported.

Conservation groups such as Panthera, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, WWF, and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have been working to protect jaguar populations and raise awareness about the illegal trade in jaguar parts. However, human-wildlife conflict, opportunistic hunting, and the demand for jaguar body parts in domestic and international markets continue to drive the killing of jaguars.

Jaguar conservation efforts

Jaguars are the third-largest member of the cat family and are endangered in most of their range. Belize is home to the world's only designated jaguar preserve, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, which covers about 150 square miles of tropical forest in southern Belize. The sanctuary was established in 1986 and is currently home to around 200 jaguars, the largest concentration of the species in the world.

Belize is also part of a broader international effort to establish and maintain a green corridor from Mexico to Argentina to protect the region's jaguar population. Conservation groups such as Panthera and the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary have played a crucial role in this initiative.

The Maya Forest Corridor is another important conservation project in Belize, connecting the Belize Maya Forest in the country's northwest with the Maya Mountains Massif network of protected areas in the south. This network of reserves and corridors is critical conservation infrastructure for the region, providing habitat for jaguars and other species such as tapirs, opossums, armadillos, and other big cat species.

The Belize government has also set aside other protected areas for jaguars, such as the Río Bravo Conservation and Management Area, which reports the most jaguar sightings in the country. Additionally, the country is home to the world's first jaguar preserve, the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve, established in 1986. This 122,650-acre preserve is an important part of Belize's jaguar conservation efforts and is estimated to be home to 60 to 80 jaguars.

The success of these conservation efforts is evident in the high density of jaguars throughout Belize. However, this has also led to challenges, as the large jaguar population frequently comes into contact with humans and livestock, resulting in conflicts. Organizations like Panthera have played a crucial role in training staff to respond to these conflicts and implement national solutions.

Frequently asked questions