The Threats

Eliminated from their entire range in the United States, an estimated 80 to 120 jaguars struggle to survive in northern Sonora. The greatest threat to this officially protected jaguar population is illegal poaching and trapping. Tragically, within the last few years, poachers and hunters have killed at least 24 jaguars – including females and their cubs – representing as much as one-quarter of the population. To ensure the survival of this northern population, the illegal killing must be stopped.

With a total population of over one hundred million people, México's wealth of natural resources is under strain. The country faces several challenges in striking a balance between subsistence and sustainability. Perhaps the most crucial of these challenges is rapid deforestation. The dry forests that cover one third of Mexico's land are disappearing at an alarming rate. To date, 50% of these areas have been cleared.

The Opportunity

Several area ranches are actively for sale, a result of the current drought and difficulty of ranching in this remote area. Expansion of the reserve through purchase of ranches from willing and anxious sellers is critical to the preservation of the current population of jaguars. Reserve expansion, along with the Project's educational programs and community outreach programs, will make the continuation of the region's existing ecological and evolutionary processes possible.

Expansion of the reserve and its value in promoting broader regional conservation programs will convert this area into a jaguar stronghold from which jaguars can reoccupy their historic northern range. Conserving jaguar habitat also provides an umbrella of protection for other rare and endangered species, including some newly discovered.