JAGUAR PROGRAM ICOMVIS-UNA

Program background

The Jaguar Program is a research program attached to the International Institute for Wildlife Conservation and Management (ICOMVIS) program of the Universidad Nacional (UNA) of Costa Rica. The Jaguar Program aims to the leadership in the generation and transmission of knowledge for the conservation of the jaguar (Panthera onca), the cougar (Puma concolor) and prey associated to their natural habitats.

These species are indicators of the integrity of the ecosystem, and they play an important role in maintaining the balance of such ecosystem; however, the wild populations of these two predators have decreased significantly over the past 50 years throughout their entire distribution range.

Their main threats in Costa Rica being the illegal hunting of their prey, the loss of their habitat and their death by retaliation due to feline-human conflicts.

Thus the Jaguar Project in the Osa Peninsula (nowadays, the Jaguar Program) arises, facing this worrisome situation in the decade of the 90s, as an answer to the void of information and the growing deterioration of these species and their ecosystems, and as a pioneering project in the field of feline conservation at the time. Today, with all the experience acquired during 24 years of trajectory, the Jaguar Program has broadened its scope of work in areas that are critical for the conservation of large felines in the country: the Santa Rosa National Park, Guanacaste National Park, Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Barbilla National Park, Corcovado National Park and the Golfo Dulce Forestry Reserve. Our line of research focuses on pragmatic conservation and the promotion of human talent. We monitor wild populations by means of trap cameras, satellite tracking and telemetry; we work with cattle raisers for solving feline-human conflicts and we provide education for mitigating the conflict and training park rangers.

Our research projects have been significantly successful in the production of scientific articles, popular articles, awareness materials, extension materials and fund raising actions for their development. That is why continuous fund raising is a key activity for extending such efforts.

Vision

The Jaguar Program is consolidated by human talent and inter- and trans-disciplinary vision; it generates knowledge and means that contribute to the conservation of jaguars and their habitats in their full range of distribution, which are shared with the different sectors of society to promote the maintenance of viability in the ecosystemic processes and services to improve the quality of human life.

1) To study the status of conservation of jaguars and their prey over time.

2) To solve conflicts of management and conservation of jaguars and their prey.

3) To preserve the ecosystems of jaguars (Panthera onca), cougars (Puma concolor) and their prey.

4) To generate information about the status of conservation of the protected areas that is useful for decision makers.

5) To implement a continuous process of voluntary staff recruitment for the JAGUAR PROGRAM.

6) To develop research and extension projects with new academic units within the next five years.

7) To encourage members of the JAGUAR PROGRAM to join training activities in strategic conservation topics within the next five years.

CURRENT PROJECTS

CONSERVATION, ECOLOGY AND MOVEMENTS OF JAGUARS AND COUGARS IN THE DRY TROPICAL FOREST.

Since 2001, populations of felines and their main prey have been monitored by means of trace counting, and, since 2006, by trap cameras. To this date, there is continuous monitoring with camera traps. Twenty park rangers have been trained since 2012 for monitoring the populations of felines and their main prey in the Guanacaste Conservation Area.

From 2013 to the present, efforts have been made for capturing at least 5 jaguar individuals in order to study their movements and observe their dynamics in the rural landscape.

IDENTIFICATION OF RISK ZONES OF FELINE-HUMAN CONFLICTS IN THE CHOROTEGA AND NORTH HUETAR REGIONS OF COSTA RICA.

This project works with cattle raisers that have predatory problems with big felines. An educational program has been implemented in two of the largest cattle-raising zones in the country, in conjunction with institutions such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and the Ministry of Energy and the Environment (MINAE).

MONITORING POPULATIONS OF MEDIUM AND LARGE MAMMALS IN THE TALAMANCA MOUNTAIN RANGE (BARBILLA NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDING AREAS).

The project consists of monitoring populations of wild felines and their prey with camera traps in a region that is critical for the crossing of jaguars from north to south in the American continent. The project is still going on and it has produced very interesting data. Such information has been used by the Costa Rican Ministry of Energy and the Environment, and local indigenous communities have also collaborated by strengthening local tourism.

POPULATION STATUS OF JAGUARS AND THEIR PREYS IN THE CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

The uninterrupted monitoring of felines and their prey started in 1990 at the Corcovado National Park by means of footprints and camera traps. Those 26 years provided relatively abundant data on more than 20 species of mammal, felines included, as well as on their population density, ecology and behavior.

In addition, in 2013, the “Osa Camera-Trap Monitoring Network” project started. Such initiative is developed along with the “Conservación Osa” conservationist organization, as well as with ecological hotels, private reserves, conservation organizations and private owners, representing over 18 study sites in the entire peninsula, from the Corcovado National Park to the Piedras Blancas National Park, and monitoring populations of felines and their prey with camera traps. This is, by far, the largest and most organized fauna monitoring network in the country.

PREVIOUS SPONSORS

Idea Wild

Wildlife Conservation Society

National Geographic

Rufford Foundation

Panthera

International Foundation for Science

Pacuare Lodge, Aventuras Naturales

Finca Sensoria

Rochefeller Foundation

PUBLICATIONS

Rojas, L. M. 1991. I. Captura del grisón (Gallictis vittata). II. Actividad del grison (Gallictis vittata) en cautiverio. III. Posible ciclo reproductivo del grisón (Gallictis vittata) en Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Rodríguez, T. Z. 1994. Abundancia relativa y uso tradicional del tepezcuintle (Agouti paca) en el Refugio de Vida Silvestre Barra del Colorado, Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Palomino, P. S. 1997. Densidad y movimiento de la guatusa (Dasyprocta punctata) relacionado con la disponibilidad de alimento en un bosque seco de Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Cateula, M. A. 1997. Estrategia de alimentación y comportamiento del chanco cariblanco (Tayassu pecari) en un bosque húmedo Tropical de Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Forester, C. R. 1998. Ecología de la danta centroamericana (Tapirus bairdi) en un bosque húmedo tropical de Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Carrillo, E., G. Wong and J. Saenz. 1999. Mammals of Costa Rica. Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad. 300 pp.

Wong, G. E. Carrillo and J. Saenz. 1999. A field guide of the Mammals of Corcovado National Park. Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad. 150 pp.

Carrillo, E. Wong, G. & Cuarón, A.D. 2000. Monitoring mammal populations in Costa Rica protected areas under different hunting restrictions. Conservation Biology 14(6):1580­1591.

Almanza­Carballo, F. J. 2002. Caracterización y depredación de animales domésticos por grandes felinos (Panthera onca y Puma concolor) y su presencia en zonas rurales de Costa Rica 1990­ 2000. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Ramírez, S. 2003. Abundancia relativa y tipos de hábitat preferidos por el jaguar (Panthera onca) y el puma (Puma concolor) en el Parque Nacional Santa Rosa, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Gómez Fuentes, C. S. 2004. Estado de conservación del jaguar (Panthera onca) en la Reserva Biológica Indo maíz y caracterización de su cacería. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Valdez Leal, J. 2004. Aspectos ecológicos de la danta (Tapirus bairdii) en un bosque húmedo tropical, Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Aguilar, R. S. 2004. Métodos de estimación poblacional del jaguar (Panthera onca) en el Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Chaverri Corrales, A. R. 2005. Distribución espacial, abundancia relativa y modelaje del hábitat de grandes felinos en la península de Osa. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Sáenz, J.C., L. Alfaro, J. P. Carvajal y E. Carrillo. 2005. Una nueva técnica para determinar riqueza y abundancia relativa de aves terrestres. Uso de las cámaras­trampa. Zeledonia, Boletín de la Asociación Ornitológica de Costa Rica. Vol. 9, #1.Junio 2005. pp.2227.

Amit Rojas, R. 2006. El jaguar (Panthera onca) en el sector de San Cristóbal del área de conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Densidad, abundancia de presas y depredación de ganado. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Hernández, I. S. 2006. Análisis del hábitat y modelo de hábitat potencial del jaguar (Panthera onca) en la Península de Osa, Costa Rica. Una perspectiva de paisaje. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Arango, A. M. 2007. Abundancia relativa, densidad, uso del hábitat y movimiento de pecaries (Tayassu pecari y Pecari tajacu) en el Parque Nacional Corcovado (Estaciona Sirena) Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS

Salom, R., E. Carrillo, J. Sáenz and J. M. Mora. 2007. Critical Condition of the jaguar Panthera onca Population in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica. Orix, 41(1): 51­56.

Carrillo, E. 2007. Tracking the Elusive jaguar. Natural History Magazine. Pp. 31­34.

Carrillo, E., Fuller T., & J. Saenz. 2009. jaguar (Panthera onca) hunting activity: effects of prey distribution and availability. Journal of tropical ecology 25:563­567.

Carazo, J. 2009. Cambios en las poblaciones de jaguares (Panthera onca), sus presas potenciales y ocelotes (Leopardus pardalis), en dos períodos de tiempo sujetos a diferentes esfuerzos de control de cacería en el parque nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Sáenz Bolaños. C, LD. Alfaro & E. Carrillo. 2009. Presencia de Galictis vittata (Carnivora: Mustelidae) en el Caribe Sur y Pacífico Norte de Costa Rica. BRENESIA 71­72: (71­72).

Sáenz Bolaños. C & E. Carrillo. 2009. Registro de Cabassous centralis (Cingulata: Dasypodidae) en la Reserva Forestal Pacuare y Reserva Indígena Nairi Awari, Siquirres, Costa Rica. BRENESIA 71­72: (69­70).

Amit, R.; Alfaro, L.D. & E. Carrillo. 2010. Estimación de población del jaguar (Panthera onca) en el Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Ciencias Ambientales, Costa Rica, v. 1, n. 38, p. 3­5.

Sáenz Bolaños C. 2010. Ensamble de mamíferos medianos y grandes en un sector de la Reserva Forestal Río Pacuare y sus cercanías (Reserva Indígena Nairi Awari y Parque Nacional Barbilla), Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS

Montalvo, V. 2012. Cambios en la abundancia, actividad temporal y dieta de jaguar (Panthera onca), otros felinos y sus presas en el Parque Nacional Santa Rosa, Costa Rica. Tesis para el grado de Maestría. ICOMVIS.

Fernández, P.; Gutiérrez G. & E. Carrillo.2012. Felinos en la arqueologia de Costa Rica, pasado y presente.Fundación de Museos, Primera edición. San José, Costa Rica.

Alfaro. LD, Montalvo. V, Carrillo. E & C. Sáenz Bolaños. 2013. Índice de riesgo de depredación de ganado por felinos en el paisaje rural: una herramienta para identificar el nivel de riesgo en fincas ganaderas y diseñar medidas de prevención y mitigación. Áreas protegidas e inclusao social: Tendencias e perspectivas. Volumen 6. Número 1. 2013. ISSN 1982­2251.

Alfaro. LD, Guimarães. F, Montalvo. V & E. Carrillo. 2013. monitoreo biológico participativo como herramienta para la gestión de áreas protegidas, Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Áreas protegidas e inclusao social: Tendencias e perspectivas. Volumen 6. Número 1. 2013. ISSN 1982­2251.

Amit. R, Gordillo Chavez. E & R. Bone. 2013. Jaguar and puma attacks on livestock in Costa Rica. Human–Wildlife Interactions 7(1): 77–84.

AUDIOVISUAL MATERIAL

Night Stalkers: Jaguar Ambush ­ National Geographic

Cruzada Jaguar

The creatures of the black lagoon