Chiquibul National Park, Belize

Since 2002, Marcella J. Kelly has been monitoring jaguars, pumas and ocelots through remote camera surveys across these two different habitat types in Belize with a particular emphasis on jaguars. In collaboration with other authors, this work has resulted in the first density estimates for jaguars from remote cameras (Kelly, 2003; Silver et al, 2004). Jaguar estimates were highest from Belize at 7.5 - 8.5 per 100 square kilometers and lowest for Bolivia at 2 - 3 jaguars per 100 square kilometers.

The first survey for the pine forest habitat occurred in 2004 and interestingly, jaguar numbers are similar in this habitat compared to the broadleaf forest. This is contrary to expectations which were that jaguar numbers would be lower in the pine forest and puma numbers would be much higher in the pine forest. Ocelot numbers were much lower in the pine forest than the broadleaf.


One interesting anecdote from the pine forest is that there is one male jaguar that roams far and wide and has been photographed at 16 of the 23 camera stations.	He has even been photographed at four different stations in a 24-hour period. He is routinely photographed at more than one station a day.


During the 2005 survey he was photographed 75 times in just over two months. This guy gets around!	Note the coat pattern is the same for all the left sides. Coat patterns are like fingerprints and allow us to individually identify each jaguar captured on film. Also, note the gash on the right side of his neck. This has already healed and is no longer visible.

Threats
Besides the general threats of habitat loss and fragmentation that are occurring all over the jaguar's range, the recent completion of the Chalillo Dam on the Macal River in Belize has been an immediate threat to jaguars (and scarlet macaws) in the area. (Note: Many argue this dam was constructed illegally.) While the dam is not very large, it is in a pristine area and opens up roads into the region. Road construction likely means more hunting pressure on prey animals and jaguars. Many believe that more dams are on the horizon for the Macal River.

Since the Chiquibul forest is so close to the border with Guatemala, there are frequent threats from poachers that cross the border into Belize. Interestingly, most of those poachers are in Belize to take plants of the genus Chamaedorea (locally known as xaté - pronounced sha-tay) which are palms used in the flower industry. This is a lucrative business and leaves can fetch $1 eachon the international market. Teams of xateros (often with horses) wokd the forest cutting most but not all leaves of the palm. Some leaves are left in the hope that the plant will recover and they can return to re-harvest later. However, it is unclear whether the plants do recover and whether they reproduce after such cutting. While in the forest, the xateros will hunt animals - both prey animals of jaguars and the jaguars themselves. They also steal cameras.


A group of xateros and one of their horses caught on remote camera	illegally removing the xaté palm from the Chiquibul Forest Reserve.

Solutions
The pods - a muddy affair

The stealing of cameras is a problem for many remote camera studies. To combat this, the Principal Investigator has recently received funding from the Philadelphia Zoo and Wildlife Conservation Society to construct theft-proof camera pods. These pods are made of concrete which is mixed and poured into a form on-site. Construction of the camera pods began in July 2006. While a seemingly simple solution, this has proven more difficult than anticipated. The wet season hit hard in 2006 and being stuck in the mud was par for the course beginning in July. we counted 14 times that we could remember being stuck this past field season. But construction is well underway with 26 pods completed by August 2006 and 14 more planned. Weight of each pod . . . roughtly 480 pounds. Try putting that in your backpack!


Jason Swenson, Eddie Owens and two unsuspecting volunteers (Ollie and Jaime) attempting to get to the proper location to construct a camera pod	Jason and Eddie once again put their muscles to work.


Marcella and Tom loading a form with concrete.	The team looks on while Tom uses the concrete vibrator


The completed camera pod. Once the concrete is cured, the wood will be removed and the cameras will ber bolted into the concrete, covered with a steel camera protector and locked with a padlock.	Some members of the camera pod team, pluse Belize Defense Force soldiers Ryan and Alvarez, at the statrt of a successful camera pod building day in July 2006.

Project continuation
Camera surveys will continue in the two habitats until critical information about cats is determined. For example, longevity of these cats in the wild is unknown. Because spotted cats are individually identifiable by their coat patterns, over time this study will yield new information on demographic parameters such as lifespan, recruitment (the number of young animals joining the population), mortality rates and even movement patterns. This information is vital to conservation and management of the species.

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