Costa Rica Signs Agreement to Protect Jaguar

The government of Costa Rica signed an agreement with Panthera, an organization dedicated to protecting the wildcat species, to protect the jaguar in Latin America.



The Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications of Costa Rica, reported that the agreement with Panthera commits the parties to pursue scientific and conservation initiatives that help to preserve the largest endangered cat in the Americas.

The agreement was signed by the Environment Minister of Costa Rica, René Castro and CEO of Panthera, Alan Rabinowitz.

"This is the fourth agreement that Panthera has signed with the Latin American government and once executed, it will implement a strategy to connect and protect the safe passage for the jaguar population throughout their range from northern Mexico, through the heart of Costa Rica to Argentina," said Rabinowitz.

Minister Castro said that Costa Rica is a fundamental part of the "jaguar corridor" through the management of protected areas and biological corridors that connect with Nicaragua and Panama.

Since 2008 Panthera has worked with the System of Conservation Areas of Costa Rica (SINAC) to investigate the status of jaguar populations in the Costa Rican protected areas and assess the threats they face.

"The efforts of Panthera is winning conservational strategies not only for the jaguars, but also thousands of other animal and plant species with which they share their homes, including Pumas, Ocelots and other wild cats," said the coordinator of the organization for Mezoamérica, Roberto Salom.

Costa Rica is one of 18 countries in Latin America that is home to the jaguar and one of 13 countries in which Panthera is undertaking initiatives for their conservation.

From our strategic partner Costa Rica North