The Project Jaguars of Iguaçu works to save one of the most important jaguar population in the Atlantic Forest. We want to change the relationship between humans and jaguars to also protect the Iguaçu National Park where we are located. We want to change fear into enchantment, and this is one reason why we want to join ConservationNow. We try to connect people with the jaguars and the forest, we communicate to generate enchantment.
We always use “our” jaguars, everyone’s jaguars, so we try to create a sense of belonging. Many people who are in a situation of exclusion (social, economic, cultural) are fed up with being invisible. When you “see” them, value their knowledge and take time to build strategies together, you can get valuable partners for conservation.
We also work to generate an alternative source of income for landowners who live around the park and may lose cattle due to predation by jaguars and cougars. This way, the jaguars can add value to the products and this increases the value of keeping the jaguars alive while also making people proud of helping conservation.
We have a citizen science programme, the Panthera Team, with volunteers who want to help us protect the jaguars and spread the word about their conservation. We are happy to join ConservationNOW and are looking forward to working with other members towards spreading messages and stories of hope and generating more connections with the natural world and hope. We want to show people the great importance of any individual contribution!