Melissa Arias Profile picture
#Jaguar Coordinator @WWF with a PhD in #Zoology from @UniofOxford and MEM from @YaleEnvironment working on #jaguar #conservation and #illegalwildlifetrade

Sep 8, 2020, 6 tweets

1/6 Excited to share our new #biologicalconservation paper on the #illegalwildlifetrade of #jaguars in #Belize and #Guatemala by @EJMilnerGulland @orchiddelirium and myself, in partnership with @WCS_Mesoamerica. Free access for a limited time at: sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

2/6 Based on key informant interviews, we found that #jaguartrade is a #domestic and #opportunistic activity, driven by local actors for a range of #motivations, and with ties to #humanwildlifeconflict, #bushmeathunting, #Chinesedemand, #drugtrafficking, #migration and #tourism

3/6 By separating statements into well #evidenced examples vs. #assumptions, we found that the areas of higher #uncertainty in the #jaguartrade include the role of external actors and drivers, and of commercial motivations.

4/6 Multiple #legal and #institutional #weaknesses enable #jaguartrade, mainly a lack of #resources, ineffectiveness of #LawEnforcement, animosities btw #stakeholders, #corruption, outdated #laws, missing #evidence, lack of mandate of #wildlife authorities and #safety concerns

5/6 #Jaguar #conservation efforts should consider #uncertainty and target well-evidenced #actors, #motivations and #drivers to have an #impact. We recommend focusing on rural #communities living with #jaguars, while the role of external players should be further explored

6/6 Special thanks to @ICCS_updates @IWTnet @OxZooDept; to our partners @TheWCS; to @CONAPgt and #BelizeForestDepartment for granting us research permits; to our funders @wildnetorg @USFWSIntl @BecasSenescyt; and to our amazing interviewees in #Belize and #Guatemala

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