The ecology of jaguars in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize

TL;DRAbstract

The cryptic habits of Neotropical felids present a substantial challenge for biologists wishing to study their behaviour and ecology. Their characteristically low population densities across generally inhospitable habitats require ingenious methodologies to obtain information about the presence and activity of individuals that may entirely elude direct observation. The jaguar (Panthera onca) has proved to be one of the more difficult large felids to study successfully, evidenced in our still limited stock of knowledge about its ranging and feeding behaviours and interactions with other cats. This case study summarizes our knowledge of the jaguar population in and around the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (CBWS), in Belize, Central America. It outlines the beginnings of research on what has become one of the best-studied jaguar populations to date. Here we present data on population density, demographics, territoriality, temporal and spatial interactions with puma

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