Have natural disasters created opportunities to initiate Big Cat Tourism in South America?

Abstract

Livestock is the predominant biomass in terrestrial systems around the world, and conflict with livestock inventories continues to threaten large carnivore persistence in increasingly fragmented habitats. Nevertheless, social tolerance for large carnivores is increasing, as is interest in predator tourism, which can facilitate wildlife–livestock coexistence strategies. We report two case studies in which natural disasters led to a reduction in local livestock inventories, and subsequent economic hardships that in turn created opportunities for initiating predator tourism: jaguar tourism in the Pantanal of Brazil and puma tourism in the Patagonia steppe grasslands of southern Chile. Any time livestock numbers are reduced, whether through management decisions or natural disasters, may be considered opportunities to reduce dependency upon livestock and to weigh diversifying revenue streams via alternative activities, such as tourism. Livestock reductions in combination with a surge in the global demand for wildlife tourism have made jaguar and puma tourism an increasingly important economic activity for both regions. Well‐managed predator tourism can be effective carnivore conservation, and if integrated among other strategies, can augment conservation agendas. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

Pumas Puma concolor as ecological brokers: a review of their biotic relationships

“…Throughout their range, pumas are culturally salient, and a prominent character in diverse spiritual beliefs and historical narratives (Herrmann et al 2013), suggesting that pumas play a cultural keystone role in addition to an ecological one (Garibaldi & Turner 2004). Neither did we capture the economic, recreational, and cultural benefits of puma tourism, which are only just beginning to be described in the literature (Tortato et al 2020).…”

Los felinos de la cuenca baja del río Cravo Sur especies actuales y amenazas a su conservación

“…Este ha sido exitosamente aplicado en Figura 5.Cráneo de P. concolor y piel de L. pardalis, cazados de forma retaliativa posterior a eventos de depredación otras zonas del Casanare, asegurando la permanencia del jaguar y un contenido atrayente para turismo de animales (Payán et al, En revisión). Para el turismo, la topografía de sabanas es una oportunidad, pues permite el acceso y el avistamiento de lejos de animales, esto aplica a todas las sabanas de América del Sur (Tortato et al,2020). Igualmente ha sido probado como herramienta de conservación en Pantanal, donde gran parte de esta ecorregión vive dignamente del turismo de avistamiento de jaguar y pesca deportiva sostenible (Tortato et al,2017).…”

Jaguars Guaranteed? Governance of wildlife sighting in unpredictable environments

“…The jaguar population experienced a reversal with the economic downturn of cattle ranching in the 1970s, the effect of heavy ooding, and the collapse of lather market 18 . As ranches faced bankruptcy due to major oods, abandoned properties led to reduced retaliatory killings of jaguars and an upswing in wildlife populations 19 . Presently, jaguar density ranges from 4.08 20 to 12.4 animals per 100 km2 21 .…”