Saturday, February 21, 2015

COLOMBIA REINSTATES ITS COMMITMENT TO JAGUARS

    
  
COLOMBIA REINSTATES ITS COMMITMENT TO JAGUARS
Bogotá - The jaguar was awarded renewed protection yesterday with the establishment of the second conservation agreement between the government of Colombia and Panthera, an organization dedicated to the preservation of wild cats around the globe.

Convening in Bogotá, Colombia's Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Mr. Gabriel Vallejo, presided over the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Panthera's CEO and renowned jaguar scientist, Dr. Alan Rabinowitz. Through this agreement, Colombia and Panthera have together committed to implement conservation initiatives working to map jaguar presence, and protect and connect populations in Colombia, along with those in Central and South America; enable land developments benefitting the nation's economic interests and local wildlife; and mitigate livestock-jaguar conflict.

In 2010, Colombia became the first Latin American government to officially commit to engage in jaguar conservation initiatives with Panthera. Four years later, with this renewed pledge, Colombia's progressive approach to conservation of the jaguar and the nation's other biodiversity continues. This second MOU shows the exemplary commitment of the country to jaguar conservation, making it the lead in Latin America. The Colombian government has strengthened its commitment to biodiversity conservation, consequent to being a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, whilst recognizing that saving jaguars also conserves their wild habitats and other wildlife and secures much needed forest connectivity.

"From México to Argentina, jaguars will have the opportunity to connect and have genetic exchanges, guaranteeing their health, reproduction and survival," assured Mr. Gabriel Vallejo, Colombia's Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development.

"Colombia is leading the way in Latin America for jaguar conservation, consequently with its privileged position in the Jaguar Corridor. Without Colombian jaguars, there is no corridor," said Dr. Alan Rabinowitz.

Panthera's CEO Dr. Alan Rabinowitz (right) and Colombia's Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development Mr. Gabriel Vallejo at the signing of the second jaguar conservation agreement between Colombia and Panthera.
He continued, "This commitment is especially representative for Colombia in the face of a peace treaty with guerrilla insurgents. Once peace is achieved, we should expect a strengthening of governance aided by the country´s armed forces in and around protected areas."

Panthera's Jaguar Program Executive Director, Dr. Howard Quigley, added, "Jaguars need all the help they can get. The government´s continued effort sets a standard message of conservation urgency to the general public. We should assume corporations and other private entities should step up their environmental responsibilities as a reflection of the government´s example."

Bordered by Panama to the north, Colombia serves as the sole genetic gateway for jaguars moving between Central and South America - a continental connector for the species. Through the Jaguar Corridor Initiative, Panthera has been working since 2009 to identify and connect jaguar populations in Colombia's Northern and Eastern Jaguar Corridors. Assessing the implications of habitat changes, like oil palm plantation developments, on jaguars and other wildlife has been one focal activity, which led to Panthera capturing the first photos of jaguars in a Colombian oil palm plantation in 2012.

Panthera's scientists have additionally developed replicable conservation ranches to mitigate human-jaguar conflict, including the use of San Martinero, or creole cattle, that have retained defensive behaviors to protect cattle herds from jaguars.

Today, Panthera's Jaguar Corridor Initiative (JCI) serves as the largest and most effective carnivore conservation program in existence; spanning nearly six million square kilometers, the JCI seeks to connect and protect jaguar populations from Mexico to Argentina, ensuring the species' genetic diversity and survival. Colombia is one of 13 countries with which Panthera is implementing strategic jaguar conservation science.

The signing of yesterday's agreement comes on the heels of a Panthera-led expedition earlier this week to the recently expanded Chiribiquete National Park, which at 2.7 million hectares serves as Colombia's largest park, home to one of the country's highest densities of jaguars. Illustrating the ancient, cultural connection between humans and jaguars, Chiribiquete's tabletop mountains contain petroglyphs including depictions of jaguars, considered to be the oldest evidence of human existence in the Amazon basin.

At the signing, Dr. Esteban Payán, Director of Panthera's Colombia Jaguar Program, stated, "Colombia is preparing for post-conflict scenarios and there is no better way to do that than to strengthen its conservation areas and initiatives through a connective strategy like the Jaguar Corridor. We hope the corridor is yet one more layer that will aid in territory management such as land development planning and zoning for the future of Colombia."

About Panthera
Panthera, founded in 2006, is devoted exclusively to the conservation of wild cats and their ecosystems. Utilizing the expertise of the world's premier cat biologists, Panthera develops and implements global conservation strategies for the most imperiled large cats - tigers, lions, jaguars, snow leopards, cheetahs, cougars and leopards. Representing the most comprehensive effort of its kind, Panthera works in partnership with local and international NGOs, scientific institutions, local communities and governments around the globe. Visit www.panthera.org.
About the Jaguar Corridor Initiative
Panthera's Jaguar Corridor Initiative seeks to link core jaguar populations across the jaguar's range within human landscapes, from Mexico to Argentina, to preserve the species' genetic diversity. Through multilateral partnerships, government support, and local buy-in, Panthera is the driving force behind this initiative. Saving jaguars range-wide is a winning strategy for conserving vast landscapes and ecosystem functions, and preserving human health and livelihoods. Visit the Jaguar Corridor Initiative.
About Colombia's Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development leads the management of Colombia's environment and renewable natural resources, and is responsible for guiding and regulating environmental planning and developing related policies and regulations. The Ministry oversees the recovery, conservation, management and sustainable use of Colombia's lands and renewable natural resources to ensure sustainable development of the nation. Visit www.minambiente.gov.co.



source:

Panthera | 8 West 40th Street 18th Fl. | New York | NY | 10018

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