Jaguars have a unique and beautiful pattern, big heads, powerful claws, and they catch the eye of many people. Sadly, poachers drag them into the profitable and destructive business of trophy hunting which, however awful, affects the global economy. But on the brighter side, and more profitable one, where jaguars are prevalent so is ecotourism. It’s a more sustainable way to experience their beauty and habitat that also protects them and supports the local economy.
Making money
Created by Moncrief and Larsen, SEA-DISC Sir Francis Drake High School, 2017
Desert landscape, (Moncrief, 2017)
And since there is a desire to preserve them, critical habitat and reserves have been designated for conservation efforts. Thousands of acres of protected land can draw in tourists and raise nearby property values. Many people also believe that animals have a right to exist regardless of their instrumental value. From a stewardship perspective, it is also our responsibility to protect them and we can start by stopping activity the degrades their habitat.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service created a recovery plan for the jaguar in 2016 with an end date in 2066 with annual cost estimates for implementing recovery strategies as follows:
Year 1 = $2,349 ,000
Year 2 = $12,657 ,000
Year 3 = $10,301 ,000
Year 4 = $20,135 ,000
Year 5 = $10,653 ,000
For the first five years this totals to $56,093,000 (FWS, 2016). The estimated date of recovery is 2066 by which time recovery costs are estimated to be $605,648,000 (FWS, 2016).
Designating critical habitat is important for protecting the environment and the U.S. jaguar populations. Luckily, critical habitat was set aside in 2014 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the jaguar. These locations include Baboquivari, Atascosa, Patagonia, Whetstone, Peloncillo, and San Luis (FWS, 2016). According to Industrial Economics Incorporated, possible conservation in these areas can include:
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Development of Highway wildlife crossing
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Reduced disturbance of habitat from mining activities (possible impact)
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Establishment of conservation easements near Fort Huachuca
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Monitoring for Jaguars, including providing cameras and collaring
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Limiting vehicular traffic along border and near construction activities
(IE, Incorporated, 2013)
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Possible economic downsides
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A negative side effect of jaguar conservation is livestock losses due to increased populations. Jaguars have been persecuted throughout South America for killing livestock on ranches due to an overlap in territories (Nogueira, 2009). However, it is not much of an issue in the U.S. but assuming it could be, a focus study proves the gains from ecotourism far outweighs livestock losses.
Global Ecology and Conservation found that jaguar ecotourism represents a gross annual income of $6,827,392 in land-use revenue across a representative portion in the Brazilian Pantanal. The annual estimated cost in the same areas for the hypothetical damage that the resident jaguar population could inflict is only around $121,500 per year in bovine cattle losses. That leaves a total minimum net benefit of $6,706,125 for the study area in 2015 (Tortato, 2017). This research could be applicable to the U.S. and reinforces the importance of wildlife tourism as a conservation tool in building tolerance of jaguars on private ranches (Tortato, 2017).
The recent critical habitat designation could also affect the activities of numerous entities and individuals, including federal agencies, hunters, developers, ranchers, and landowners (Svancara, 2015). Habitat conservation also has the potential to result in significant impacts to surface mining activities such as the Rosemont open-pit copper mine (IE, Incorporated, 2013). Still, the specific potential impacts on mining operations is very uncertain (IE, Incorporated, 2013). Critical habitat designation could also be limited by the decisions of farmers and ranchers, with lands overlapping the proposed designation, to discontinue participation in NRCS programs (IE, Incorporated, 2013).
Jaguars have use and nonuse value. A beautiful and secretive animal attracts people, especially if it’s located in a pristine region. So where they can be are observed, there is instrumental value and profit to be gained from ecotourism. This is also applicable to habitat, many people are willing to pay to visit preserved area (IE, Incorporated, 2013). The aesthetic benefits of jaguars include social welfare gains associated with enhanced quality of habitat. There are educational benefits as well, we can learn more about the species and its populations by surveying and monitoring for them; this could help guide future conservation efforts (IE, Incorporated, 2013). There are even property benefits from open space preservation and decreased density of development as a result of jaguar conservation which could increase nearby values (IE, Incorporated, 2013).
Jaguar portrait, (Timbako, 2017)
Jaguar side portrait, (Timbako, 2017)