Multi-criteria spatial identification of carnivore conservation areas under data scarcity and conflict: a jaguar case study in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

Panthera Onca Corridors: A Spatially Explicit Analysis of Habitat Change Drivers and Potential Conservation Areas in the Bajo Magdalena, Colombia

“…This study used spatially explicit analyses and available geospatial data to determine the spatial extent of P. onca habitat and how deforestation, armed conflict, agriculture expansion, urbanization and the construction of highways are affecting its habitat and distribution in the Bajo Magdalena area of Colombia. Our findings show that urbanization and the construction of highways were highly influential variables associated with the loss of the jaguar (Panthera onca) habitat, especially in the urban areas of Cambras, San Ramon Alto and Guaduero (Figure 2), which manifest an intersection with jaguars and the human settlements, which is common due to the highly transform areas (Zárrate-Charry et al, 2018). Thus, highways and different types of roads of Puerto Salgar, Caparrapi and Guaduas affect 87.7 km 2 of jaguar territory (Table 3).…”

“…Thus, highways and different types of roads of Puerto Salgar, Caparrapi and Guaduas affect 87.7 km 2 of jaguar territory (Table 3). Even though jaguars intend to avoid human areas, due to landscape transformation this lack of interaction is impossible because forest and swamp areas become limited, which makes it easier to predict their connectivity with other jaguar populations and their closeness to human areas (Thornton et al, 2016;Zárrate-Charry et al, 2018).…”

“…However, the lack of information about jaguar distribution and poor landscapelevel planning in Colombia can affect conservation strategies (Zárrate-Charry et al, 2018). Therefore the conservation of forested areas and wetlands (Boron et al, 2018) is key to better understand P. onca distribution, populations, corridors and how they overlap (Thornton et al, 2016).…”

“…Therefore the conservation of forested areas and wetlands (Boron et al, 2018) is key to better understand P. onca distribution, populations, corridors and how they overlap (Thornton et al, 2016). Furthermore, the fact that Colombia was at war for 50 years with guerrilla groups, means that some of the habitat areas have never or been little studied until 2016 (Zárrate-Charry et al, 2018;Boron et al, 2018;Boron et al, 2019). Due to the ecological importance of this species, organizations like Red Colombiana de Seguimiento de Fauna Atropellada (RECOSFA) have proposed the establishment of wildlife corridors.…”

New records of Jaguar (Panthera onca) in the department of Cesar, Colombia

“…The information for the department of Cesar is scarce, although ProCAT Colombia and Corpocesar (2010), found that less than 1% of the landscape constitutes high quality habitat for the species, and only between 10 and 34% of the areas have medium quality habitats. Researchers have assessed the Jaguar distribution in the region and the potential areas for conservation, but there are only a few occurrence records available Payán-Garrido et al 2016;Zárrate-Charry et al 2018;GBIF 2020). The uncertainty about the jaguar subpopulations in the department of Cesar overshadows the biogeographical importance of the zone, as this territory hosts two large subpopulations between the Serranía del Perijá-Catatumbo and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta ( Considering the biogeographic significance that the department of Cesar plays for the species and the scarce information available, we present nine novel records of jaguars in the department corresponding to six live specimens, two confirmed illegal hunting events and one roadkill during the last four years (Figure 1 and 2; Table 1).…”