Bolivian conservation organizations join forces to fight jaguar poaching

Conservation organizations in Bolivia have set up a platform to join forces in the fight against the illegal trade and poaching of jaguars. Ten organizations have already joined the initiative.

Header photo: Jaguar hunting in grass © Pixabay on Pexels

Initiators of the platform, which is called the ‘National Alliance for the Conservation and Protection of the Jaguar’, are IUCN NL’s Bolivian partner SAVIA, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Panthera. Via the platform, the organizations share knowledge and experiences and organize joint activities to protect the jaguar. This ties in seamlessly with the goal of IUCN NL’s project Operation Jaguar to share knowledge and join forces in the fight against jaguar poaching.

Marc Hoogeslag, project leader of Operation Jaguar says: ‘We also informed our partner SAVIA about these ambitions at the start of our project. SAVIA took this to heart and, together with WCS and Panthera, brought the various parties together. This is very important for the efficient use of resources and to strengthen each other’s initiatives. ‘

10 organizations

The following 10 organizations are now part of the National Alliance for the Conservation and Protection of the Jaguar:

• Asociación Boliviana para la Investigación y Conservación de Ecosistemas Andin o Amazónicos (ACEAA)
• Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Medio Ambiente (CIBIOMA)
• Defenders of Wildlife
• Fundación Noel Kempff Mercado
• Museo Nacional de Historia Natural MNHN
• Panthera
• Savia (Asociación para la Conservación, Investigación de l a Biodiversidad y el Desarrollo Sustentable)
• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
• Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado (MHNNKM)

Alarming situation

The situation around the jaguar in Bolivia is alarming and the work of these organizations is therefore very important. Earlier this year, IUCN NL, together with Earth League International, released a report on jaguar poaching in Bolivia. The animal appears to have fallen prey to professional criminal gangs who smuggle teeth and other jaguar parts to Asian countries.