“Problem Jaguars” Help Save the Species

08/17/2009

Pat the Cat was saved from certain death by Sharon Matola's Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program, and will help propagate the endangered species via the Species Survival Plan. He lives at the Milwaukee County Zoo / Copyright (c) 2007 John P. Kennedy

When jaguars kill livestock, farmers often kill jaguars. Sharon Matola - the “Jane Goodall of Belize” - has turned that problem into a solution that just may save the species.

Sleek, spotted jaguars roam the jungles, wetlands and grasslands throughout South and Central America and in Mexico right to the border with Texas, but according to the IUCN Red List, which lists the species as near threatened, the species is declining throughout its range because their preferred forest habitat is being deforested, degraded, or turned into ranchland. Deforestation isolates the remaining habitat fragments, and these obligate carnivores need a lot of room to roam.

Enter Sharon Matola's brainchild - the Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program. Instead of killing the jaguars that repeatedly kill livestock, why not capture them, and bring them to zoos for captive breeding in the Species Survival Plan? Although the cats are listed as endangered in the U.S., only 100 jaguars currently reside in U.S. zoos with fewer than 45 engaged in breeding, not enough to create a healthy reservoir of genetic diversity. After realizing that just between 2002 and 2004, ranchers killed over 60 jaguars in Belize alone, Matola started the Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program in 2004. She realized these animals could be captured instead of killed, slowly acclimated to the presence of people, brought to zoos, and then used in captive breeding. The floundering economy has slowed the project a bit, since the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service approves the import of every animal, and cutbacks have slowed permit approval.

In 2008, Pat the Cat became the first jaguar brought to the U.S. through this program, a male cat who Matola housed for several years in Belize. He’s gradually adjusted to his new environment at the Milwaukee County Zoo "He currently has a large outdoor area to wander, with places to hide, large rocks mimicking limestone caves in Belize, a pool and climbing logs," explains Nancy Kennedy, a volunteer under Matola's guidance who has worked with Pat and other jaguars for years in Belize, and now at the zoo. "He also has an indoor area which allows the public to see him at closer range."

Sometimes Pat lunges at the glass when visitors get too close, but typically only when people who should know better taunt him or flash photograph near his face. "Pat is an intensely curious cat who, both in Belize and in his new home in the U.S., wants to know everything that is going on around him…on his own terms," says Kennedy. "What I have noticed recently is that he seems to be using some of this as a bit of a game, sending the kids scurrying, but not moving from a space next to the glass where he stakes out his perch for watching what is going on in the building. He is clearly in charge of his space and keeps it that way."

The ultimate aim is to get Pat to breed. Pat, who is eleven, is being slowly introduced to a six-year old female jaguar named Stella, and zookeepers hope the pair will help propagate the species. "We have the chance to save the jaguars now, if we all come together, in support the activities of the tireless champions of these voiceless animals," says Kennedy.

Until permits for more imports can be approved, Matola houses the jaguars at the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, but her own funding is scarce, also. Ten jaguars were sent to U.S. zoos, and she currently engages in biological research and rehabilitation at her zoo on the "problem" jaguars, which helps those engaged in fieldwork on wild jaguars. Matola's own story is the stuff of legend. She started the zoo in 1983 after a film maker asked her to determine the future of 20 animals in cages left over from a wildlife documentary when he took off for Borneo on another project. She stayed in Belize and on a whim, hung up a sign that said “The Belize Zoo.” The rest is history. She got them better housing and has made it a mission to bring the animals of Belize to Belizeans. "We are really becoming known for our 'jaguar encounter,' where one can actually safely interact with a trained jaguar named Junior Buddy," says Matolo, "People tell me he is all over YouTube." The Belize Zoo also now works with the Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee which runs the Milwaukee County Zoo, and provides funding directly to the Problem Jaguar Rehab program.

Matola, an American who became a Belize citizen in 1990, once served in the Air Force, worked as a lion-tamer, and studied Russian in Iowa and fungi in Florida. She’s nothing if not diverse. Matola moved to Belize in 1983 and has lived there since, having made a big impact on the country. The story of her passionate fight to stop the Chalillo Dam is told in Bruce Barcott’s The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw: One Woman's Fight to Save the World's Most Beautiful Bird which was published last year.

Comments

[Joanne McKay]

Hi
My name is Joanne McKay and seeking a unified holistic approach to SAVING FRASER ISLAND DINGOES

HARMONY Back for K'Gari

Balance and Respect = Conservationists, QPWS/DERM, Residents and Visitors to wilderness/isolated zones commanding the highest level of Personal Responsibility and Accountability

The dark cloud and sadness that hangs over our Island, again zoned wilderness and isolated...NO ZOO!....I have lived and worked on Fraser Island over approximately 5 years...our dingoes are caught up in political bullying by individuals concerned....and they know who they are.

Please check our SAVE FRASER ISLAND DINGOES group site on Face Book, loads of info and links http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=102445695086
DERM claim there were many many more attacks and that their current FIDMS 2006 is 'BEST PRACTICE' laughable considering peers and international views differ, they state management strategy has reduced attacks dramactically, just like their statement regarding the ineffective dingo fence around townships where there was no problem in the first place, only culling and defragmenting family groups of many generation...strong and cohesive and deffinately not aggressive (Check out Dafna's master thesis, see below)

Hazing!!! we are the only Island in the world that conducts hazing where an animal can not escape (against 2 acts)

Please if you could support in any way...we were told by a Dr Kingsten (Vet)that a documentry was funded for Steve Erwin for Animal Planet, sadley the zoo is not interested since his death(turned into another commercial enterprise :(
The indivudual/organisation also funded a documentary on the Cheetahs, I believe?.
Please Help or point me in the write direction
Canis lupus dingo our very own native australian wolf is in crisis, we have pups having pups...aaahhh 10 mths giving birth at 12mths...brother and sister...no adults...alpha members culled, with high numbers of females and lactacting females...PLEASE WE NEED ALL THE SUPPORT WE CAN GET NOW!!!!
We have source information via our Freedom of Information and legal attention.
We have a tremendous amount of support...science...etc but have to creat a ground swell...their cages have been rattled!..Now lets smash them.

Extract from site http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=102445695086

WE WANT SOME HISTORY...lets help refresh the memories of QPWS / DERM...
Pics and stories of how it was...QPWS claims many incidents of dingo attacks prior to Current Management Strategy....Their 'Best Practice' FIDMS 2006, not a peer or international view.

Kate Jones you need to read yourseslf and stop referencing it out to those already educated...catch up love!...we sent it to you! highlighting failure of your staff to adhere to your own FIDMS 2006.

DINGO DIET AND PREY

AVAILABILITY ON FRASER ISLAND
Dafna Camila Angel-E.
Biologist (Hons. Universidad Nacional de Colombia)

Freely available at the USC Website http://research.usc.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/usc:891?expert=creator%3a%22Angel-E%2c+D%22

A commercial photographer says the Queensland Government has banned her from photographing Fraser Island's dingoes because she voiced her opinions.

In a Frame on the wall....is this our Future !!

Canis Lupus Dingo which means (Canine Grey Wolf Dingo), descendant from the Indian and Arabian Wolves and sub species of the Grey Wolf... So not dogs at all.... Declared indigenous to Australia in '92..."Native Australian Wolf" ....and quote unquote " Super Smarty Pants" from a behavioral scientist...
Listed Vulnerable...lobbying for Endangered

Welcome and Thanks for your support and contribution's
Lots of very informed information at your finger tips
Please add your comments, any photos.
Special note to those QPWS Park Rangers who deserve our respect, and thanks for your help and support during my time working on the island, they are not only about dingoes and do great work. This is not personal guys if you see this remember its about the dingoes and you know who you are...my friends

THE CAUSE !!!

Firstly an ATTACK by definition is relentless and make no mistake there is a huge difference between dominance play amongst juveniles, up to18mths with nips and clothing ripped to a full fledged ATTACK !!! This MUST be clarified.
The dingo societies close to townships have shown no concern or threat, living harmoniously with their human co-inhabitants, so Ms Jones does not know what she is talking about..she has been feed by QPWS ...lol.
Note: no scat contained the human food component as the primary food source
QPWS runs a fear mythology...effecting attitudes and responses from visitors, incidents are positive when they don't believe they are going to be "attacked" and eaten...!!!

QPWS management is what is effecting the dingoes behaviour, they too are on a heightened sense of alert

*Constant hazing and fragmentation of dingo societies/family groups or packs which is not so much on Fraser with no large prey... so sustain solitary hunting of smaller prey and scavenging is the order of the day
*Destruction of Alpha, dominant adults, juveniles killed for dominance play sparing only the subordinate weaker beta and gamma dingoes, fracturing family networks, orphaned puppies..
Along with aggressive culling the fragmentation and demise of strong cohesive dingo societies was also contributed to the electrification of fence.
We have wiped out 'Family' groups of many generations Eurong Second Valley will never be the same...these days it is survival at the dump...with juveniles breeding..no adults....alarming!

*STOP THE KILLING

*EAR TAGGING must be over 12 mths of age
Until an alternative can be found for identification

*ENFORCE Close parental guidance / supervision, criminal charges should apply for negligence

*STOP HAZING
(Hazing involves pelting the dingoes with clay pellets using a sling shot.)
This invokes fear into the dingo for all the wrong reasons, instead of encouraging shyness from humans it is evolving the dingoes behaviour to react as we are now the enemy and not peaceful companions in their environment, and are behaving accordingly.
Have we not learnt from the initial invasion of this beautiful country... do we still persist on destroying the fruits she has to offer, the culture, the people, the flaura, the fauna and its breathtaking landscapes and diversity which we all call home.

NO HAND FEEDING...Huge fines should apply.
BUT we need food supplemented out of the eye of the public depending on the environment and what it can sustain....so slowly wean off the human food component with constant monitoring on the impact of prey species and their availability.
Basically the withdraw of the human food component completely which is a necessary part of their diet < 20% including plastics etc (which was much higher before NO FEEDING) OR...will in fact, which the studies have shown since the implementation of this stategy came in...results have shown an impact on all prey species to the detriment/wipeout of some on Fraser Island!
And it is HIGH SEASON TOURISM and winter FISHING that impacts on the diet of dingoes not the townships!!!
...again poo doesn't lie!

DINGOES NEED YOUR HELP, help with all the facts and supporting evidence or just a push in the right direction

The people in Victoria have been succesful in lobbying their government to have the Dingo classified as an Endagered species from previous classification as a pest.
......lobby the Qld Governemnt!

If we can't save World Heritage Sites and it inhabitants what hope does the planet have. We are voices of many
... Our government fails to follow recommendations, dismissing current and past studies carried out by independant scientists and researchers and fail to adhere to their own management strategy e.g.. In fact the QPWS Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy states that documented evidence of the animals behavior (preferably using digital photos) must be used to confirm the allegations before an animal can be destroyed (FIDMS Review 2006 p 37). Any request for consultation and / or evidence has been denied!!!

Reform or more to the truth adherence to the polices, operations and advice set down in FIDMS 2001 with Dr Laurie Corbett as advisor and revised by QPWS 2006 waiving recommendations. The current agenda by QPWS effects the future sustainability of dingoes. Their immediate future is bleak and of course insults and direspects all the dedicated hard work put in by our scientists and conservationists.

Thankyou for your time Wendee

[Mithi Dey]

It was really a nice post. Problem of such wild animals is really dangerous.

[sydney]

i think that the farmers should stop killing jaguars and start keeping better look after there livestock.the poor jaguars are being held responsible for the farmes actions. they need to be aware of the cautions they may have by living in the present area.

[happycampers]

hi i love these animals i think all animals should have a hance of life there is someting out that will give them life

[Nan]

Theses are such beautiful animals; they have no intent to harm anyone, the life as they were meant to live. In the wild eating only to survive have there families and move on. The programs that were set in place by certain counties is called flag fencing. Which is sit up with different gage fence and red flags; this seems to be working in keeping wild animals out and away from farm animals. So Congress needs to create a better way to expedite this project and push it forward. It would sure take a lot of pressure off our critters.

[Wendee Holtcamp]

Nan I am curious to know more about the flag fencing. Where is this done?

[Brian]

Here is a beautiful jaguar that is celebrating it's first birthday.

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/cubcam/2009/10/23/celebrate-maya-the-jaguars-first-birthday/

[Amber]

There such beautiful creatures!

[Scott]

My only question is why did they name the jaguars - Pat and Stella ?? --seriously, I really want to know :)

[Delila]

i love this cat he is awsome!!!!!lol!!!

[Delila]

im part of this an its so awsome!!!!