- Location: Goiás, Brazil.
- Founded: In 2002. The organization is known as the Instituto Onça-Pintada in Portuguese.
- Species: Cougar, Giant Armadillo, Giant Otter, and Jaguar.
What is the Jaguar Conservation Fund?
Jaguar Conservation Fund (JCF) is a nonprofit organization and a wildlife conservation society with a mission to save and protect jaguars and their habitat through a global initiative.
Conservation work for jaguars ensures stable populations of wild cats in Central America, including North and South America.
Jaguar conservation also benefits other important species such as ocelot, puma, caiman, deer, and tapir. The Jaguar Conservation Fund was founded in 2002 by a team of researchers with a long history of work committed to the species.
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Jaguar Conservation Fund’s Mission
Jaguar Conservation Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to Jaguar preservation, with the basic objective of helping to ensure Jaguar and big cats populations are conserved.
To achieve this objective the organization works to increase awareness of this conservation for jaguars among the general public with both on-the-ground educational work and outreach activities.
Beyond these broad objectives, Jaguar Conservation Fund’s current focus lies in the development of harvesting methods. Apply methods that permit sustainable extraction of Jaguar products from Jaguar populations while also responsibly adapting Jaguar habitat into ecotourism destinations.
Jaguar Conservation Fund’s work has already allowed Jaguar populations to exist in protected areas and Jaguar habitat to be sustainably managed.
Its objective is to develop a community of Jaguar advocates and volunteers from around the world by stimulating public interest in wild cat conservation and endangered species.
The organization also encourages research on Jaguar behavior, ecology, genetics, and biology as well as strengthening the relationship between Jaguars and works for Jaguar preservation.
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Jaguar Conservation Projects
The Jaguar Conservation Fund uses camera trapping and radio transmitters to count individuals and study animal movements, home range, and activity patterns.
They have trained dogs to track Jaguars and sometimes set up live-cage traps to capture them for collaring. Other dogs can also sniff out scat which is used for DNA identification and to learn more about their diet, genetics, health, stress hormones, and reproductive status.
The organization’s projects are conducted through Jaguar reserves in Belize, Ecuador, Brazil, and Panama. Conservation is an important part of the Jaguar Conservation Fund’s mission.
Here are some of the projects of the organization:
- JCF serves as a training center for students conducting studies on Jaguar behavior and ecology.
- Offers jaguar monitoring courses and camera traps designed to prepare Jaguar reserve managers to survey the Jaguar population
- Offer monitoring courses take advantage of Belize’s cultural ties with the United States to provide a unique study abroad program for college students interested in wildlife biology or conservation
- Monitor Jaguar behavior and assist in the protection of Jaguar habitat
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Why Do the Jaguars Need Our Help?
Jaguar populations have been devastated by poaching and habitat loss from human development. Organizations like the Jaguar Conservation Fund help fund field projects to promote the sustainable use of forest resources.
In addition is to teach conservation efforts, improve the protection afforded by jaguars in national parks, build a strong wildlife conservation society, and encourage landowners and local communities to co-exist with jaguars or live with peaceful coexistence.
The number of jaguars’ natural prey due to deforestation was decreasing which is also a problem jaguar face aside from poaching and creating a plan on reducing conflicts between the jaguars and humans.
By protecting these threatened species of predators – keystone species that play important roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems – we are restoring balance to dramatically changed areas.
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Where does the money from the donation go?
Each donation was carefully allocated to ensure projects are concentrated in areas with the most Jaguars at risk. Focusing on one specific project or initiative over another ensures that resources are being used effectively.
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How to help
You can help the Jaguar Conservation Fund by volunteering for an internship on a specific project, joining an expedition, or making a donation through the Network for Good.
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