Venezuela Protects Jaguar
Population
CARACAS - Venezuelan specialists began a
research to determine the amount and
location of jaguars, included in 2008 in the
category of Near Threatened of the Red List
of Threatened Species.
The Ministry of Science and Technology
indicated that the data will permit to
structure a network of ecological paths that
allow the free movement of animals affected
by the fragmentation of their habitats by
human activity.
Displacement is indispensable for the
survival and evolution of the species
because allows the flow of genes through
reproduction.
Among the field methods to collect
information about jaguars and their prey
includes photographs and recordings with
cameras with infrared sensors, record of
marks (tracks and droppings), and direct
observations.
They will also collect skulls, bones and
furs to be analyzed by means of isolation
techniques and sequencing of mitochondrial
DNA to identify groups of individuals along
with evidences of other kind and to
establish comparisons.
The Venezuelan Institute of Scientific
Investigations ((IVIC), the National
Experimental University Simon Rodriguez and
the Mammals Research Institute of the Polish
Academy of Sciences among others are taking
part of this research.
Jaguar, also known as otorongo, tiger,
yaguar and yaguarete is identified
scientifically as Panthera onca, belonging
to the class of mammals, carnivores and of
the feline family.
Jaguars are an abundant species, but
catalogued of Near Threatened because of the
continue deforestation of their environment,
poaching and population fragmentation.
Its presence extends from Mexico to northern
Argentina, in more than 8 million square
kilometres.
Jaguars in Venezuela inhabit the plains and
jungle territories and their diet includes
prey includes small and large size as bush
pigs, deer, tapirs, capybaras, armadillos,
cows, calves and alligators.
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