Big cats (Carnivora, Felidae) still walking in Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve: a forgotten Jaguar Conservation Unit in northeastern Guatemala

By

Trujillo, Luis A.
Mármol-Kattán, Alejandro
Abugarade, Cristina
Rivera-Sandoval, Adriana
Chaluleu-Baeza, Cristina
Leonardo, Raquel
Mansilla, Diana
Trinidad, Allison
Quijivix, Claudia
Martinez, Isabel
Escobar, Cristina
Paz, Rocío
Ramírez, Andrid
Escobar-Anleu, Bárbara I.
Escobar, Rebeca
Garcia-Anleu, Rony

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-5-15

Original Publication

Check list : journal of species lists and distribution

Volume

21

Series / Issue

Issue: 3

Pages

544--551

Subjects

Conservation , elevation profile , functional connectivity , jaguar , puma

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

[São Paulo, Brazil] Luís Felipe Toledo 2005-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15560/21.3.544

 

Abstract

The detection of Jaguars, Panthera onca (Linnaeus, 1758), and Pumas, Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771), in the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, northeastern Guatemala, represents a pivotal step in understanding the distributional range of these apex predators in the country. Using camera traps, we documented 12 independent records of Puma and one of Jaguar, including the remarkable presence of Jaguars at elevations above 2000 m, which suggests new directions for ecological research and high‑altitude conservation strategies. These findings have important implications for the long‑term survival and conservation of these species within Jaguar Conservation Units, emphasizing the necessity of effective management measures that promote functional connectivity through habitat preservation and restoration, especially for populations outside the Mayan Biosphere Reserve.