There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
By: Programa Amigos da Onça ( friends of the jaguar project in portuguese )
The story of the rescue of a female caatinga jaguar in Bahia that was trapped in a cave with its entrance blocked by rocks, she spent 22 days in there with no food and water at all.
Victim of a historical hinterland conflict, jaguar spent weeks trapped inside a cave until saved by researchers.
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Biologist Cláudia Campos was working in the backlands of Bahia when the news came through WhatsApp. According to the message residents of a rural community in the north of the state had chased and imprisoned a jaguar inside a tunnel on the edge of a cave after it killed a sheep.
The story was worrying - jaguars are critically endangered in the Caatinga (although they are still abundant in the Pantanal and Amazon) and the community in question is on the banks of the Boqueirão da Onça National Park created in April 2018 precisely for the purpose of protecting these last rare cats of the biome. But it was also doubtful - after all jaguar stories are like fisherman stories almost always filled with a good dose of folklore and exaggeration.
Was it really a jaguar or a puma? Maybe an ocelot? And was it really trapped in the cave or had it already escaped through some other hole? Only by going there to find out. "Theoretically it was there trapped. But the story was very incomplete full of uncertainties" recalls Claudia.
A veteran researcher at the Instituto Pró-Carnívoros (IPC), which has been in the region for 13 years she knows the logistical social and environmental challenges of working inside the Caatinga. Her first decision was to return to Petrolina on the other side of the São Francisco River to find out more about the history and to assemble a rescue team if necessary. The information came from the zap of a resident of the community of Sanharó who found out about the event and was worried about the animal.
The date was May 19th and the jaguar was supposedly trapped in the cave for six days. Cláudia recruited the help of three veterinarians (two from the Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco and one from the army battalion in Petrolina) organized a small expedition and left for the site 325 kilometers away in the rural area of Sento Sé in the middle of Bahia's Caatinga.
Upon arriving in the community Cláudia spoke with the girl who had sent her messages and with one of the men who had pursued the jaguar. A classic sertanejo, a goat and sheep farmer. The man told that he and two other compadres had followed the trail of a dead sheep's body to the edge of a dolina - a large hole formed by the erosion of limestone rocks - filled to the top by the green canopy of two large juazeiros.
In the Google Earth image, the red outline is the Boqueirão da Onça National Park, and the yellow outline is the Boqueirão da Onça APA. The red pin shows the location of the Dolina where the jaguar was rescued
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The blood trail indicated that the sheep had been dragged into a small tunnel at the edge of the sinkhole, approximately 1 meter in diameter. Contrary to common sense two of the men decided to sneak through the tunnel taking two dogs ahead. It didn't take long they ran into the jaguar. She grappled the dogs and put everyone to run with a growl.
Luckily nobody was hurt. Even so before retreating the men closed the tunnel entrance with a bunch of rocks imprisoning the jaguar.
A conflict of predators
Rescue required rappelling equipment to reach the tunnel and beekeeping clothing to protect himself from bee attacks. Photo: Programa Amigos da Onça
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The conflict between men and jaguars is historic in Caatinga. Where resources are scarce and life is already difficult by nature, there is little room to cultivate friendship among predators - even more so in the dry soil of the sertão.
Most of the sertanejos ( local people ) in the region survive on the land and goat and sheep farming, which are left free to roam the Caatinga in search of food. Time and time again, some of them end up even turning into jaguar food. But there are other dangers too. It is common for animals to die of thirst, hunger, disease, snake bites and even attacked by other hungry domestic animals such as dogs and pigs.
"But it's always the jaguar that's to blame" says Portuguese researcher Cláudia Guerreiro Martins, an agronomist and PhD student in Applied Ecology at the Interunities Graduate Program (PPGI-EA) at the University of São Paulo (USP) on the Piracicaba campus which studies relations between humans and wild animals at Caatinga, in collaboration with the Friends of the Jaguar Program at the Pró-Carnívoros Institute.
" The jaguar moves people's imaginary and emotions a lot " says Cláudia. "Whether or not they have had some experience with the animal everyone has an opinion about it. There are people who have never seen a jaguar in their lives but they tell you the story of the guy who got killed by a jaguar 50 years ago."
A fundamental part of Cláudia's research involves the identification of "conflict determinants". That is what are the feelings, fears, interests and different social environmental or economic factors that lead human beings to confront the jaguars in the Caatinga. According to her it is common for people to refer to jaguars as "perverse" animals because they prey on the animals on which they depend for their livelihood. But there are also positive feelings such as admiration and empathy which emerge when the conversation is conducted in a more friendly manner.
"Many people say that the jaguar is perverse but later recognize that they enter the field out of hunger; because there is no more food in the bush," says Cláudia drawing attention to the problem of hunting - a cultural habit (but illegal) of the sertanejo ( local people ) which ends with the collared peccaries, white lipped peccaries, deers, cotias, armadillos and other wild animals which should be the natural food of jaguars in the Caatinga. The smaller the population of wild prey the more likely the cats are to attack domestic animals for food. "Then you realize that this antagonistic relationship between animals and humans is punctual," says the researcher.
A light at the end of the tunnel
The green canopy of the jaguar emerges from the dolly where the jaguar took refuge, and ends up imprisoned - Photorograma Amigos da Onça
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After talking to the man from Sanharó, it became clear to Cláudia and her team that it was necessary to go to the dolina to rescue the jaguar. "He was not comfortable with what he had done and agreed to accompany us to the site" says the researcher.
As soon as they got there, however, it was obvious that the rescue would not be that simple. Besides the tunnel being small, difficult to access and stuck to the edge of a hole, the walls of the dolina through which the researchers needed to go down to get to him were lined with hives of wild Africanized bees "very aggressive and dangerous". "If they decided to attack us they could kill everyone" says Cláudia. "It was a real risk of death. I couldn't even sneeze."
As much as they wanted to save the animal, they couldn't put their own lives in danger. So they went back to Petrolina without knowing how far the tunnel was going and whether the jaguar was still inside it, alive or dead.
The tunnel entrance was closed with rocks to imprison the jaguar - Photo: Programa Amigos da Onça
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At that point, it had been ten days since the animal was trapped, theoretically without water or food - besides the sheep she had dragged into the hole. The possibility of the jaguar dying was great but Cláudia could not give up. It is estimated that there are only 30 jaguars left in the Boqueirão region - in an area of 7,000 km2 five times larger than the municipality of São Paulo. "In such a small population any individual less is a gigantic loss" explains Cláudia.
Cláudia Campos shows in the cave where the jaguar was found. Photo: Programa Amigos da Onça
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Finally, The rescue
Rescue team goes down the Dolina with the trap box made to capture the jaguar without hurting her - Photo: Programa Amigos da Onça
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Cláudia returned to Petrolina and immediately began to organize a new expedition; this time, with the additional participation of a speleologist (cave specialist) a biologist two field assistants from the Friends of the Jaguar Program and four firemen from Juazeiro specialized in the elimination of hives - which are also a threat in urban areas of the region.
They returned to the site on May 1 and set up camp near the hole. It had been 19 days since the jaguar was trapped.
On the same night, the firemen went to the dolina to remove the hives. They returned at dawn to the camp exhausted and with bad news. They were too many hives, too many bees; there was no way to eliminate them all. The rescue team would then have to go down the rappelling doll and do all the rescue work wearing beekeeping clothes to protect themselves from insects. And so it was done.
The operation was scheduled for the following day May 2nd. It was decided to work at night when the bees are sleeping to minimize the risk of an attack. The vertical distance from the edge of the dolly to the tunnel entrance was approximately 100 meters.
Four rescue workers went down the rappel hole removed the stones and put a box of almost 100 kilos in the mouth of the tunnel designed to close automatically if the jaguar entered it. At 4 a.m. on day 3 they returned to check the trap and there was the jaguar inside it. Severely malnourished and debilitated but alive!
"It was a gigantic adrenaline rush; the heart came into her mouth " recalls Claudia. "It made me sick on time. I had to deal with it too (laughs)." The bees behaved well during the process (they only got angry when they turned on the lanterns) and nobody was hurt.
Team prepares to return to Petrolina with the jaguar - Photo: Programa Amigos da Onça
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The jaguar was sedated still inside the box and taken by truck to a Sorting Center for Wild Animals (Cetas) at the Univasf campus in Petrolina. In the end it was 22 days in prison of which Claudia estimates that she remained at least 15 without eating or drinking anything after consuming the sheep. "It's incredible that she survived."
In honor of the daughter of a colleague who was born on the same day as the rescue the jaguar was named Luisa. She is an adult female approximately 10 years old 50 centimeters high and 1 meter long - the size of a large dog. The jaguars of the Caatinga are naturally smaller than those of other biomes as a result of an evolutionary adaptation to the vegetation and climate of the region (being smaller they need less food, less water, spend less energy and regulate the body temperature more easily). "They are smaller but no less strong," warns Cláudia. "They have a surprising strength."
Future
Already strong and healthy again Luísa is still under observation at Cetas da Univasf closely followed by the experts. The intention eventually is to return her to nature equipped with a GPS collar so that researchers can track her steps, monitor her health and learn more about her behavior in nature - thus generating essential knowledge to guide the conservation of the species and its coexistence with human beings in the biome.
Rescue team: Rogério Dell'Antonio (speleologist at Egric - Espeleo Grupo Rio Claro/SP); Sgt. Josenilton Santos (biologist and veterinarian of the 72nd Army Motorized Infantry Battalion); Fábio Walker and Fabrício Silva (veterinarians at Cemafauna/Univasf); Paulo Reis (biologist); Ismael Silva and Mariano Jesus (field assistants). The GPS collar was donated by Enel Green Power Brasil and the Onçafari Project through partner company Pandhora Technologies.
Researcher Cláudia Campos prepares to install a GPS collar on the anesthetized jaguar - Photo: Programa Amigos da Onça
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Luísa caatinga female already recovered after being rescued from the cave.
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Back to Caatinga
credits: Onçafari which whom made a special post of Luísa's story.
After all the examinations to check and ensure Luisa's health, the team prepared to take her to the release site.
Being a wild animal not used to the presence of vehicles and/or human beings, the first reaction of the jaguar was to attack the cars. It was in a moment of stress, without understanding exactly what was happening so its first reaction, as predicted, was defense.
After the first "scare" the jaguar followed its way into Caatinga. By means of the monitoring equipment the team made sure that she had really returned to her natural area and with this guaranteed the success of the operation.
The jaguar is still being monitored by the Friends of the Jaguar team. With the information collected by the radio-collar the professionals gain more knowledge about the animal about the biome and are able to act more effectively in the conservation of both.
Luísa Caatinga female during the release moment back to the wild Caatinga.
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When she was rescued on May 3rd Luíza caatinga female jaguar measured 58 centimeters high and 1 meter long, she was very weak, dehydrated and malnourished weighing only 35kg.
After the treatment the feline returned to her natural habitat with 46kg. She was given a monitoring collar and is accompanied by the members of the Programa Amigos da Onça through satellite.
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Sad News
In the 18th November last year (2021), that warrior of a jaguar, the Caatinga old female jaguar named Luíza unfortunately died.
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NEX NO EXTINCTION ABOUT LUÍZA'S DEATH.
''We are very sorry to announce the death of Luisa. Luísa presented an acute renal failure. We did everything within our power, unfortunately without success. At the moment, we have no words to express our pain. We are very sorry.
We thank to @icmbiocenap @ibamagov @amigosonca @institutoprocarnivoros @cbcampos8 @csgmartins @reprocon_org @rosegm9 @morato.ronaldo @jorgesalomaojr for entrusting Nex with the care of Luisa.
May São Francisco receive you Luisa. With all the affection of the the world.''
min.35:35 of the video, BBC Documentary Published in 2013 on the introduction of the 3 orphans cerrado jaguars (Xavante and his sisters) to the wild since they were found in the wild as cubs. But the dead female had northing to do with the orphans.
After travelling almost 300 miles her satellite signals stopped moving.
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The female cerrado jaguar was a healthy feline, in good shape and on its prime. When they found her remainings it was a mystery to know how she died, Leandro mentions it was hard to believe she died of natural causes.
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*This image is copyright of its original author
So he took the skull and bones home for a closer and detailed examination.
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No broken bones were found, neither bite marks on the skeleton, everything was in perfect condition, he doesn't believe she starved to death nor was predated by other jaguar.
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*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
Lendro Silveira's conclusive guess was that the jaguar was poisoned counting where the carcass was and the cattle country factor.
Quote:A new study co-authored by Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC) and partners has found novel evidence of wild male jaguars forming coalitions and collaborating with each other to secure prey, improve chances of mating, and defend or expand their territories.
Long regarded as a solitary species, the findings suggest the Americas' largest wild cat is more social than previously believed, with unrelated males sometimes forming multi-year alliances in regions home to high prey and female jaguar densities. Published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, this study demonstrates that other wild cats may also exhibit social behaviors, similar to cheetahs, lions, and now jaguars. Most wild cats are classified as solitary, showing limited social interactions with one another. Even cases of social tolerance at prey kill sites are considered to be rare. The project involved data analysis from five studies that used camera trapping, GPS telemetry, and direct jaguar observations in the Venezuelan Llanos and Brazilian Pantanal, home to environments of forested savanna, flooded terrain and abundant aquatic and terrestrial prey. Out of more than 7,000 records, the team of researchers recorded 105 interactions between males, most of which (70) were classified as cooperation or forming of a coalition. Nine interactions were classified as social tolerance and just 18 were considered aggressive. Some male jaguar coalitions were long-lasting. In two studies, two male jaguars formed stable partnerships that endured more than seven years each. In Brazil's southern Pantanal region, two males cooperated from 2006–2014, during which they patrolled territories together, communicated vocally with one other, shared a tapir kill, and even rested side by side. In the Llanos, each coalition male paired and mated with several female jaguars. Deputy Director of Panthera's Jaguar Program, Dr. Allison Devlin, stated, "This novel finding shows that, when it serves their purpose of gaining greater access to prey, mates, and territory, wild male jaguars may collaborate, cooperate, and even form long-term relationships with former competitors." Dr. Devlin continued, "The secret life of jaguars is more complex than previously thought. We still have so much to learn about the intricate lives of these secretive wild cats, with findings that can help scientists better conserve these species and the landscapes on which so many plant, animal, and human communities depend for their survival." A number of behaviors observed in the male jaguars—patrolling and marking territory together, invading territories of other males, collaborative chasing and killing of other jaguars, and sharing prey—had been previously recorded in lions (which form prides) and cheetahs (which sometimes form male bachelor groups). However, compared to lions and cheetahs, the male jaguars spent less time together and did not cooperate with females to raise cubs. The jaguar coalitions were formed between a maximum of two unrelated males, unlike those observed in cheetahs and lions. While high prey and female jaguar densities likely drove male jaguars to turn to these newly-observed social behaviors, this contrasts with previous data on lions, where male group size has correlated with female group size. Access to females may also drive the formation of male coalitions in cheetahs. High prey and female wild cat concentrations are likely drivers of social behavior across wild cat species. While the authors emphasize the importance of this study, they warn that it does not demonstrate "evolution in action." A multi-generational study of population genetics would be necessary to support the hypothesis that these collaborative behaviors provide any evolutionary advantage to the offspring of these males.
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There is still much to learn about these wonderful animals. I wonder what other popular assumptions about big cat behaviours will be challenged and overturned in the future?
Jaguars of Brazil - Dynamics,Lifestyle,Datas,Studies,Reports
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