Species of Concern
The effort to save the northernmost jaguar goes far beyond the cats themselves. Since each individual covers a considerable territory, providing jaguars with a refuge also extends an umbrella of protection to other species that share their habitat. This includes a number of rare, endangered, and biogeographically unique species inhabiting the Northern Jaguar Reserve and contributing to an overall landscape rich in biodiversity.
The reserve is home to 215 resident and migratory bird species, more than 50 reptile and amphibian species, and four dozen species of mammals. One hundred species of butterfly have been identified, as well as an additional 100 aquatic invertebrates.
The reserve is also home to four feline species: jaguars, mountain lions, bobcats, and ocelots. It is also the only known place on the planet where jaguars and badgers overlap. What is believed to be the northernmost military macaw nesting site is located near the southernmost nesting bald eagles in North America, placing the reserve in the center of the only area where these two birds intermingle. It likewise serves as the southern limit of surviving lowland leopard frogs.
The biologically diverse flora and fauna found at the Northern Jaguar Reserve should feel immediate conservation impacts as the region’s apex predator and umbrella species, the jaguar, begins to gain protections.
