Wild Animal News

New Study Sheds Light On Dingo DNA; They Are Related To Domestic Dogs, But Were They Ever Domesticated?

Australia is isolated and home to dozens of unusual creatures including koala bears, numerous marsupials, lots of poisonous snakes and the dingo a somewhat mysterious canine.

Dingoes are the subject of a recent study that sheds light on the origin of these dogs but doesn’t quite settle the question of whether they were ever domesticated. It does however, tend to show they are descended of wild dogs and not from any domestic breed. In fact, the research shows that the difference between dingoes and domestic dogs is greater than that between any two human populations. That seems to put them in an intermediate position between wolves and domestic dogs. They are sill listed as a breed of domestic dog and it is unclear if the new study will change this.

n215_w1150 by BioDivLibrary is licensed under CC-PDM 1.0

n215_w1150 by BioDivLibrary is licensed under CC-PDM 1.0

Domestic dogs arrived in Australia in 1788. Dingoes were present at least 5,000 years ago and maybe as long as 8,500 years ago. Many have thought they are descended of domestic dogs that came to Australia with Asian seafarers. That theory holds they turned wild after arrival. The new study does not rule this out, but the authors think it is less likely. Genome sequencing shows that dingoes, like wolves and a few other canines, are not good at digesting starch. Their Australian diet is mostly reptiles and marsupials and they have little need to digest starch. Dogs probably began to digest starch as their human companions began to grow grain crops and fed grains to them. The inability to digest starch suggests dingoes were never fully domesticated.

n23_w1150 by BioDivLibrary is licensed under CC-PDM 1.0

That doesn’t mean they had no association with humans, who seem to have brought them to Australia. Just as a small wild cat can be brought from one place to another, so can essentially wild dogs. The difference would be that a fully domestic dog would have been selectively bred, and there is no evidence dingoes ever were. At least according to this study.

Wombats are on the low-starch dingo menu. Photo by Karen Laårk Boshoff on Pexels.com

The research is based off of a pure bred rescue dingo named Sandy who now lives in a sanctuary. Her skin and tissue samples were compared to five different domestic breeds. The results have implications for the dingoes status. Since they are not merely feral domestic dogs their conservation status may be enhanced. Currently dingoes and feral dogs may be culled to prevent attacks on livestock. Dingoes and domestic dogs are interbreeding and efforts to curb this may be instituted.

Australian wildlife is facing several complicated issues. One of the biggest is the threat posed by invasive species. We have talked about that here.

Endangered Sand Cats Are Among Species Jordanian Conservationists Aim To Protect

They are tiny – less than 8 pounds- but ferocious and they are endangered.

Sand cats are one of the most unusual of the 41 species of cat on earth. They inhabit unforgiving desert land and can stand temperature extremes to eke out a living in a nearly waterless climate. Like many of the 34 species of cats considered small they are threatened by human activity and the climate they live in.

Jordan’s Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RCSN ) has recently pledged to protect them and other wild cats in the nation’s conservation sanctuaries.

In the statement released to the media The RSCN, said that it works carefully to protect the habitats of the targeted animals.

“The RSCN prioritises the rehabilitation of habitats, and that is through enhancing forest habitat connectivity and re-vegetating arid areas to ensure wild species protection,” said RSCN’s Director of the Centre for Biodiversity Control Nashaat Hmeidan. Hmeidan was quoted in the Jordan Times

Amman ia Jordan’s capital
Photo by Hisham Zayadnh on Pexels.com

The RCSN is assessing the health of the nation’s forests and is actively planting oak trees. Surveillance cameras between 2012 and 2022, showed that lynx and other wild cat species live in their natural habitats, noting that lynx were also found in the Mujib Biosphere Reserve.A

Sand cats are found in the eastern desert, according to the RCSN, But they are threatened by drought and habitat destruction. The RCSN also said the RSCN has documented the presence of sand cats in the eastern desert and is developing a strategy to protect the cats

Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine (NASA, International Space Station Science, 07/17/10) by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center is licensed under CC-BY-NC 2.0

Sand cats are compact with short limbs. Their coat is sandy to grey brown. They tend to be pale on the belly and have some striping on the legs.

The cats are almost two feet long in the body and the tail is about one foot long. These felines weigh up to about 7 pounds, but many are smaller.

Sand cats live in three distinct regions of the world: Africa’s Sahara desert, which stretches through Algeria, Niger and Morocco; throughout the Arabian peninsula; and in parts of central Asia. Asian cats live in Turkmenistan, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

They are adapted to life in sandy desert. They can live in daytime temperatures above 120 degrees and night time temperatures around freeing. They retreat to burrows to avoid the worst extremes. They live where soil allows them to burrow.

Most of their fluid comes from prey animals. These cats eat anything they can catch from insects spiders and scorpions on to rodents, hares and birds. They have a reputation of being fearless snake hunters and kill and eat poisonous snakes. They have very good hearing which enables them to track and catch prey

Females are pregnant for about two months and bear a litter of one-ounce kittens with two to four being the most common litter size. Litters can be as large as eight.

Other countries in the Arabian Peninsula are also working to conserve the Arabian leopard.

Chinese Monk Devotes Himself To Rescuing Strays; Rescues An Estimated 8,000 Since 1994

Since beginning this blog I have been staggered by the size and scope of problems facing wild and domestic animals throughout the world. From the captive animal trade to highway deaths animals face terriffic threats from uncaring humans.

Stray Dogs are a problem worldwide. Photo by Aryan😉 Prajapati📷📷 on Pexels.com

The captive animal trade is thought to be in the top three illegal trades in the world along with drug dealing and drug running. People, usually wealthy people, trade in exotic animals for their selfish pleasure.

Even among domestic animals the damage caused by selfish humans is enormous. Most of the world has stray dogs and cats. The animals are often sought out as kittens and puppies but when they lose their babyish appeal they are abandoned.

China has a particularly serious problem. The growing wealth of the country means many people have more money and get pets which are then abandoned. The Chinese government estimated 50 million stray dogs in 2019 and the number is said to be doubling often.

Enter Zhi Xiang. He is a Buddhist monk in Shanghai who has devoted his temple and a shelter he runs to saving stray dogs and cats. He began his rescue mission when he saw a cat hit by a car. The animal was dragging itself to the side of the road by two paws. Soon he was searching for animals in need of help. He has found far more than he bargained for.

His Bao’en Temple and the associated Hu Sheng Yuan shelter currently house several thousand dogs. The rescue effort now requires dog food by the ton. Zhi Xiang did not accept donations until 2017. But the rising tide of stray and injured animals made him reconsider. He is now accepting donations through the temple website. He has also found volunteers to help him.

Feeding Wild Animals: Research, Insects, Mice Are Major Players In Finding High Protein Food

it isn’t much of a secret that wild animals kept in zoo, veterinary or sanctuary settings need quite a lot of food. Much of what they need has to be high protein and the need forces animal rescue groups to fundraise constantly.

Tigers and lions, for example, are estimated to eat 20 to 25 pounds of meat per day. This is an estimate because predators go long stretches between meals. Wolves may consume a prey animal weighing several hundred pounds and then go days without eating.

So scientists and other researchers are looking for ways to provide quality low cost protein to wild and domestic animals.

Constant research into the ins and outs of wild animal nutrition is a must.

The American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV) conducts research and is partnering with Mazuri for research into feeding exotic animals. Mazuri is a specialized animal feed producer. The company feeds all sorts of creatures from koi to exotic mammals. The company will donate to the AAZV to support research into animal nutrition and will fund grants later this year. Researchers will examine many aspects of exotic animal nutrition.

The French based food company Innovafeed has announced it will open a huge insect plant near Decatur Illinois on a 25 acre parcel. The company plans to use a fly, hermetia Illucens, as its food base and intends to generate 60 million pounds of insect based food for animals and for humans. The company says its product will eventually feed 10 million people. Hermetia Illucens is actually a valuable fly to have around.

At nearly 60 percent protein crickets may be food for wild animals and humans soon. Photo by agustin flores on Pexels.com

Known as the black soldier fly it out competes houseflies. That is a big deal as reduced numbers of houseflies results in reduced disease. The black soldier fly, unlike many other flies, is not a significant disease carrier. In addition to its use in feed it can clean wounds. It is also used to date the time of death of cadavers.

Black Soldier Fly. Photo Australian Broadcasting System. These flies are a potential food source for livestock and people and are high protein.

It may seem far-fetched to think of feeding tigers and lions on flies or crickets but insects are incredibly high in protein. Cricket flour weighs in at 58% protein, double the protein in a serving of steak and several times the amount in eggs. Black soldier fly larvae are about 50 percent protein. Cats and dogs will eat insect, usually as a snack. But insects are a portion of some predators diet. The animal feed industry is expert at creating kibbles. The kibbles are nutritionally complete but lack flavor. Therefore companies work hard to create “flavorants” attractive to the animal. It is not impossible that at least some of the food fed to wild animals in zoos and shelters will be insect based relatively soon.

Many people consider mice cute. They are also very destructive. Canned mouse is now coming on the menu for cats thanks to Mouser pet food. Photo by DSD on Pexels.com

Perhaps it will be better all around if Tony the Tiger puts down his bowl of sugary cereal for a heaping serving of insect based food.

Crickets! I told you I’d eat YOU if you tried to feed me crickets! But hey, they’re pretty good! Photo by Jeffry Surianto on Pexels.com

Meanwhile, a former pet store owner has launched Mouser a premium domestic cat food with mouse meat in it. The cans also contain other meats, in part because mouse meat is more expensive than chicken or other meats usually fed to cats. That may be in part because the supply of mice is somewhat constrained. Mouser mice come from producers who raise them for feeding to pet snakes or to young rescue owls in rehab. Since mice are not raised specifically for the cat food industry the price may still be high. It may be a question of economies of scale. There are also regulatory hurdles to leap. One thing seems clear, cats like the taste of mice. It is unlikely tigers or leopards will be eating Mouser anytime soon but a mouse product may be what the vet ordered for bobcats and other small wildcats in zoos, shelters and rescues.

The AAZV will host its annual conference soon. Wild animal and zoo veterinarians will meet to discuss issues critical to the lives of animals in zoo and shelters. Last year’s conference was discussed here.

Ribbon Cutting And Tribute To Young Patron Slain In Road Rage Incident To Mark May 13 Opening of Orange County Zoo Large Mammal Enclosure – Orphan Cougars Have New Home

It will be a mixture of happiness and sadness Friday at the Orange County Zoo. The zoo recently rescued two mountain lion kittens from Thousand Oaks, who will have a new home. But one of the zoos youngest patrons will not be there to see it. Aiden Leos, who was 6, was shot to death in May, 2021 during an apparent road rage incident.

Leos was a frequent visitor to the zoo and was on his way to kindergarten that day with his mother. Authorities say a man and a woman driving a car on the freeway became enraged at the boy’s mother. The man allegedly fatally shot the boy in the chest. The couple were subsequently arrested, have pleaded not guilty to charges against them and are facing trial. Aiden will be honored by a plaque in his memory to be unveiled by Orange County Supervisor Donald Wagner.

The new habitat will span about two acres of zoo land and is the biggest single improvement in the zoo’s history. The zoo traces its roots to the early 20th century. It became a modern zoo in the mid-1980’s.

The zoo has rescued the two cougar kittens, who are the subjects of a naming contest, and several other large cats. The zoo will open at 10 a.m. and county officials and staff will be on hand to introduce the public to the cats and demonstrate care given to large cats in zoo settings.

The new inhabitants featured May 13 will be three cougar (AKA mountain lion) kittens an adult cougar and a young jaguar. The adult mountain lion, Santiago, arrived at the zoo as a young orphan in 2011. He was found in Oregon, treated in Rosamond, California and then came to the zoo. The two sisters found in Thousand Oaks will be joined by a young male, Ray. He was hit by a car in Monterey, California, also in November 2021. The zoo treated the two girls for malnutrition and the boy for serious injuries. Car accidents are a major source of injury and death for wildlife in California.

Most jaguars and leopards are orange and black but some of each species can appear all black. The new Orange County jaguar is melanistic.Photo by Yigithan Bal on Pexels.com

Cheyenne Catli, speaking for the zoo, noted that cougar kittens stay with their mothers for as long as two years. The rescued kittens were so young it was decided they had little chance to survive on their own. The Orange County zoo focuses on animals found in the southwest of the United States, so the cougars are a good fit. Jaguars used to be found in much of the United States and are occasionally found in Arizona. There are efforts to try and reintroduce them to the U.S.

The Orange County Zoo is located in Irvine Regional Park.

The jaguar is about two years old and comes from a zoo in Arizona. His name is Ziggy and he is melanistic, essentially all black. Their new home includes artificial rock walls, climbing platforms, a waterfall and a bridge for them to walk overhead. It is designed to bring zoo patrons close to the animals and give them as natural an environment as possible. The enclosure can be configured in different ways for inclusion and separation of the inhabitants. Jaguars are the largest wild cat in the Americas. They once were common in the southwest but their range is now highly restricted. A few may cross the border into New Mexico and Arizona. Although less common than the spotted cousins, melanistic jaguars arise frequently and can do well in the wild.

Mountain lions are found throughout most of North South and Central America. They are known by many names including puma. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The opening weekend for the habitat will feature a naming contest for the girls and a slew of family oriented activities.

Orange County Third District Supervisor Donald P. Wagner praised the zoo’s contributions to the community and its dedication to spotlighting regional wildlife and rescues. The zoo is located in Irvine Regional Park. It is part of the OC Parks system which manages about 60,000 acres of wild land, open space historical and coastal assets. Wagner has been active in the adoption of the two Thousand Oaks kittens. He will also unveil the plaque to young Aiden.

Although the park opens at 10 the formal ribbon cutting and media event will occur at 9 a.m.

The park is located inside Irvine Regional Park at 1 Irvine Park Road in Orange, 92869.

Traffic Accidents Kill Wild Animals Daily, But What Are The Numbers, Exactly

I think we are all aware of the risks posed to wild and domestic animals trying to cross highways and roadways in the United States.

In this blog we have spotlighted the deaths of wolves in California, deer in Pennsylvania including OR93 the wolf who traveled 1,000 miles from Oregon to California but wound up dead by the side of a Kern County road.

But exactly how big is the problem?

Deer are among the most common victims of roadway accidents. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It is actually quite large. According to one study road collisions with animals cause about $1 billion in damage every 5 years. This is in California alone. During a four year stretch 557 black bears and 300 cougars were killed. They are usually victims of shrinking habitats which force them to wander and they try to cross a road.

The Road Ecology Center of the University of California, Davis reported on about 400 species that were involved in crashes. The center brings together researchers and other stakeholders to try and make our roadways safer and more sustainable. According to the center, the deadliest stretch for wildlife appears to be the I-280 between San Bruno and Cupertino. The center used 44,000 California Highway Patrol reports recorded during an 11 year period to write the report. In addition 65,000 citizen reports were collated. Those reports came from the California Roadkill Observation System phone app.

Wolves are also among those killed in road accidents. Photo by patrice schoefolt on Pexels.com

The app is administered by the road ecology center and allows motorists to record road kill incidents and report them to authorities to help track and monitor wildlife deaths.

Mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles were among the crash victims and the incidents resulted in serious damage and injuries.

Mountain lions are among the common victims of highway fatalities Photo by Nicky Pe on Pexels.com

If we look at the crash rate between deer and cars the statistics are truly staggering

Nationally, there are 1.5 million car/deer accidents annually. About 150 people are killed and 10,000 are injured. Deer/car accidents alone cost about $1 billion. Fatal accidents are on the rise as are injuries and the average costs of an accident. It is important to note that most accidents occur between 6 and 9 p.m. which is the time to be extra cautious.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary Rescues South Korean Bile Bears

In an earlier post we discussed the plight of Asian “bile bears” and today we are glad to report that The Wild Animal Sanctuary (TWAS) has in fact rescued 22 Asiatic Black Bears who were kept on a quasi-legal bear bile “farm.”

American and Asiatic black bears are closely related. Most Asian bears have a white chest splotch, only about 25 percent of American black bears do. Asiatic black bears are considered vulnerable and are frequent victims of the bile trade. Photo by Kevin Bidwell on Pexels.com

Bears have been hunted all over the world for many centuries. Hunters consumed or made use of most of the body parts of the hunted bears, including the bile. Bear bile is recognized as a medicinal substance in both Western and Eastern medicine. The proven uses have all been replaced by more modern treatments.

In Asia the demand for bear bile remained strong enough that captured bears were put on “farms.” They could be slaughtered, have their bile ducts removed or have them periodically drained. Needless to say veterinary surgeons were not overseeing the removal of the bile.

Over the last few dozen years a growing movement against capturing bears for bile has emerged. Some “farmers” responded by trying to find new uses for bile – including as an ingredient in toothpaste. But gradually the tide has been turning against the practice. South Korea has officially ended farming (but there appear to be loopholes in the law). Other nations, except China, appear to be slowly moving away from bear bile farming.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary, which operates sanctuaries in Colorado and Texas totalling more than 10,000 acres has steppe3d in.

TWAS flyer for last year’s celebration of the rescue of 141 animals from Joe Exoti

According to TWAS Executive Director Pat Craig, the rescue process was “long and burdensome.”

In an email to Wild Animal News Craig said the bears were rescued from a remote bile farm in the south of the country. “The nearly two dozen bears were abused for years,” he said “but were given a second chance at life when the South Korean government finally abolished the bear bile trade.”

Craig estimated that hundreds of bears “wait patiently at their respective bear farms with hopes of being rescued one day.”

Craig said TWAS is working with the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA) to rescue bears. Craig said he hopes the rescue will spark interest in creating a bear sanctuary within South Korea.

TWAS currently operates three sanctuaries. The Keenesburg , Colorado flagship covers more than 700 acres and is open the public on a limited basis. The organization also operates a small sanctuary in Texas and more than 9,000 acres at a second Colorado site. Neither the Texas or second Colorado site is open to the public. The sanctuary has recently been a high-profile rescue group due to involvement rescuing animals from “Tiger King” Joe Exotic.

How To Rewild Jaguars: The Story of Arami And The Jaguar Reintroduction Centre

As we mentioned yesterday Argentina is the center of bold efforts to reintroduce jaguars into areas from which they have been extirpated. The focus of yesterday’s story was Mariua and her two cubs, the first to be released into the 1.7 million acre Ibera National Park. The park is good jaguar habitat and contains a great amount of appropriate prey. Jaguars were exterminated locally about 70 years ago.

The love-hate relationship with jaguars is visible all over the world. Luxury cars carry the jaguar nameplate, but the cats have lost 95 percent of their habitat in Argentina. Photo by Mike on Pexels.com

Today’s focus is Arami, the first jaguar born into the first captive jaguar breeding program to be released into the park. The Jaguar Reintroduction Center is at the heart of the effort. The center is inside the park. It was the dream of Kristi and Doug Tompkins. She was CEO of Patagonia and he founded The North Face clothing line. They turned their attention to conservation about 30 years ago. He died in an accident and she has remained head of Tompkins Conservation, one of the groups coordinating with the Argentinean government and other agencies.

Jaguar Effigy Vessel by Greater Nicoya is licensed under CC-BY 3.0 The Jaguar reintroduction project is located in Corrientes Province. The people of the province have been enthusiastic about the concept

Starting in 1997 the Tompkins’ began accumulating land with 395,000 acres. Due to the efforts of the groups, the reserve swelled to 1.7 million acres and merged with a regional park before becoming an Argentinean national park. The center is designed so that jaguars rescued can live there and hone their hunting skills without human contact. The jaguars are rescues from poachers, injured animals, and donations from zoos. The animals are observed remotely and capture their own prey with which the center is stocked. When they are considered ready, a gate is opened and they leave the center.

The strategy has been to release females first. The females maintain smaller ranges and are unlikely to leave the park. The males have bigger ranges but base their range on the presence of females and prey. They are unlikely to leave the park either. Each is collared and monitored.

Jaguar (Felis onca) from the viviparous quadrupeds of North America (1845) illustrated by John Woodhouse Audubon (1812-1862). Original from The New York Public Library. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel. by New York Public Library is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

The eight jaguars released all survived recent serious wildfires. The tracking information suggests they are eating well and the project so far seems to be a success. The park is estimated to be able to support about 100 of the jaguars. Tompkins and partners are not solely releasing jaguars. They have also been reintroducing other wildlife lost to the region, including giant otters and collared peccary.

Conservation Groups in Argentina Attempt “Re-Wilding;” Releasing Jaguars Into Wetlands From Which They Disappeared 70 Years Ago

Yesterday we discussed efforts to protect jaguar numbers by recognizing and protecting cross roads from development. There is another and perhaps even more difficult way: “re-wilding” and releasing previously captive jaguars into selected habitat.

Argentina has become the site of an intensive effort to do just that by reintroducing jaguars into a wetlands habitat from which they were driven about 70 years ago.

Mariua and her two cubs search for food. Photo courtesy of Tompkins Conservation. Note radio collar on Mariua

in 2021 Mariua and her two cubs. Karai and Pora, were reintroduced into the Ibera Natioanl Park, a sprawling maze of marsh, lake, and wetlands. as yet not heavily visited. Argentina hopes to increase eco tourism in the 1.7 million acre park. The park is relatively new. The last jaguars in the area had been killed some 70 years ago so the area is filled with potential prey. Up to 9 jaguars are expected to be released in the program. The release, 10 years in the planning, was coordinated by Rewilding Argentina and Tompkins Conservation.

Jaguars often eat tapirs. Tapirs are herbivores with a short nose trunk common in South America. Photo by Picas Joe on Pexels.com

Kristine and the late Doug Tompkins founded the organization which is active in South America. Doug Founded The North Face clothing line in 1964. Mariusa was fitted with a collar. The collars track movement but do not provide as much information as do other kinds of trackers. They do allow researchers to track the animal and find where it has eaten and slept. If the collared animal does not move for too long a period a mortality signal is sent.

New world monkeys such as wooly monkeys and howlers are also on the menu. As are snakes and fish.Photo by George Becker on Pexels.com

As an apex predator the return of jaguars to the area is considered very important. Apex predators benefit the environment by controlling prey numbers which in turn influences the behavior of prey animals and even changes the environment.

Argentina considers its jaguars critically endangered because the population estimate for the country is only about 250 split into three areas. The return to the national park is considered a great step forward for the species in Argentina. Recently we discussed efforts to allow jaguars to return to the United States and to travel through Belize.

Liberty Canyon Freeway Overcrossing Concept May Help Pave Way For Jaguars Return to United States – And Protect Them in Belize

The recent groundbreaking for the Annenberg over-crossing in Liberty Canyon marks a shift in understanding of how to protect vulnerable species from extinction. National parks and protected areas are no longer seen as enough.

Jaguar range is shrinking Photo by Flickr on Pexels.com

Fragmented populations must be able to connect with each other to breed and eliminate inbreeding which eventually causes local extinction.

The over crossing will be a bridge over a busy freeway that is intended to allow mountain lions, bobcats, deer and bear, among others, to pass over the deadly highway and into land to find mates. Groundbreaking was last week.

In Belize, a country in Central America, the problem is similar. Belize was until recently more forested than it is now and the forest is now largely cut in two sections with a corridor running between them. That corridor has been shrinking due to economic growth and there is a threat that the two sections might be severed. But, as in the Liberty Canyon over crossing people are trying to reach a solution. Liberty Canyon involved private and government donors who funded the expensive project. It will take about two years or so to build a bridge over the freeway and landscape it to attract animals.

Pumas are the second largest American cat significantly smaller than jaguars. Photo by Andrew Patrick on Pexels.com

In Belize, the government, citizens and conservation groups are working together to buy the land in the corridor to protect the bridge. So far 42,000 acres have been purchased, but rescuers such as Runaway Creek and Re:Wild want to acquire 50,000 more acres. They are raising funds to do so. The government is on board with the effort as are many of the locals. Jaguars are important economically and culturally and their survival is important to many residents.

In the American Southwest, male jaguars have been seen in Arizona since the 1990’s. Males roam widely but females stay near their birth area. Unless the females can come into the United States and breed the populations will not expand. The males are reaching the United States through wildlife corridors and efforts are underway to protect those routes. Two corridors have been identified and Cuenca Los Ojos and the Janos Biosphere Reserve are working with Mexican conservation authorities to help preserve the crossings. The reserve is the home of the only population of wild bison in Mexico.

Jaguars were once common from the southern United States down through much of South America. Current population estimates suggest there may be up to 300,000 remaining. But forest habitat is shrinking and populations are being fragmented. The route through Belize is critical for cats moving north and south.

Jaguars are the continent’s only true “Big Cat” as pumas (aka mountain lions or cougars) are in a different class. The largest jaguars outweigh the largest pumas by about 80 pounds.