Jaguar Eco-Tourism

“Jaguar tourism motivates people to learn more about these animals, the complex ecology of the area, and the importance of its conservation. Tourism turns the presence of jaguars from liability or threat into a source of sustainable income.” 

-RAFAEL HOOGESTEIJN, M.S., D.V.M.

Conflict Program Director, Panthera Jaguar Program

Ecotourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people” and is one of the fastest growing types of tourism. While it is incredibly important for conservation, it is considered somewhat controversial. Through ecotourism, travelers are exposed to the natural world in a way they have never seen before, fueling donations and boosting the local economy.

Large carnivores are a unique selling point for those wanting to experience rare wildlife. They have become a focal species for the industry, with people fascinated by their exquisite looks and potential as human predators. As a result, the Pantanal has become a hotspot for ecotourism, boasting as the best places in the world to see jaguars.

Due to the mix of lush, low-lying forest and open habitat created by the wetland’s tributaries, the Pantanal is the perfect draw for tourists wanting to explore and spot jaguars. Over time, tour companies have worked to habituate the big cats: this is not the same as domestication, as they are still wild animals, but they are no longer fearful of the boats approaching, allowing visitors to get close without disturbing them.

When people have these positive experiences they take photos, share them online and share stories with their friends, incentivising more people to visit and further boosting the ecotourism industry. This feedback loop brings in more and more money for conservation.

Furthermore, it allows researchers and biologists to obtain invaluable information about jaguar’s behavior, lineages, relationships, home ranges and movements around the forest. As jaguar guides experience aroundthousands of hours of contact with the animals, they are also able to identify individuals and get an accurate count of populations: in the Pantanal, there are many jaguars that are regularly seen on tours.

While some may disagree with this commercialisation of nature, there is no doubt that ecotourism brings in huge amounts of money for the local economy. A 2017 study by researchers at Panthera estimated that the Pantanal receives just under $7 million USD from ecotourism every year. It is likely to be even higher than this, as the study only accounted for the earnings of established lodges and did not consider the many smaller organizations operating throughout the reserve. This huge pot of money provides plenty of funding to conservation and restoration programs and research projects operating throughout the forest.

Seeing jaguars in the wild is a treat for any visitor: but for the local people, it is a different story. The biggest threat to a jaguar’s survival is conflict with ranchers. As habitat is destroyed and natural prey depletes, jaguars move ever closer to humans and are forced to prey on livestock. The same Panthera study estimated the cost of damage of livestock predation as $121,500 per year: an extortionate amount of money for ranchers and indigenous peoples living in the Pantanal. However, the researchers reckoned that with a one-off donation of $32 per tourist, the cost of livestock predation to local people could be offset. After talking to tourists, it was found that 80% were willing to pay almost three times that, with donations to a compensation scheme for inconvenienced ranchers averaging at $84.

The Pantanal’s ecotourism scheme is truly pioneering: if rolled out across the region or adopted by other reserves and vital biomes, it would more than offset the damages caused by jaguars and would lay the groundwork for conservation management on a huge scale. Currently, one of the major barriers to conservation is the fact that over 80% of the Pantanal is privately owned and used for agriculture, but with this much money coming through, even that issue could be easily solved with subsidy schemes for land retained as natural forest

Ecotourism also provides indigenous peoples with an alternative to ranching: it is the biggest new source of nature-related jobs in the Pantanal since the 1960’s and has created thousands of high-quality jobs as rangers and guides. As jaguar tourism increases, employment could grow exponentially over the next decade, providing stable, sustainable jobs for local people that promote environmental restoration.

This initiative has yet to spread to the rest of the country: the Pantanal is the only Brazilian biome that has policies for wildlife tourism. Tourism laws applied to the Pantanal are limited meaning that it is, for the most part, self-regulated by the guides and local tour operators. This is beneficial for the people as it develops their skills and creates long-term jobs while being economically and environmentally stable, however the lack of management plans for protected areas in the Pantanal may be holding back the development of ecotourism.

The Pantanal has the potential to lead the way in wildlife tourism development across the world. Human and wildlife conflict is seen everywhere, from the savannahs of Africa to the dense forests of Asia. Ecotourism could solve these issues while providing money for the local economy, creating jobs, and promoting wildlife as a sustainable source of income.

In order to succeed, these programs must be robust and carefully managed. They must focus heavily on education of both tourists and locals and include local communities as an active part of the management committee. Management plans must meet the needs of the community and wildlife, so it is vital that local people have a voice in these solutions. When visiting wildlife havens such as the Pantanal, it is important to choose a safari company that directly supports wildlife conservation programs while also giving back to the people.

The large discrepancy between the economic gains and losses of jaguar ecotourism in the Pantanal highlights the importance of wildlife tourism as a conservation tool. It allows humans to co-exist with wildlife, even benefitting from their presence, and promotes wide-scale conservation management which is vital for the future of our ecosystems.