The Jaguar Conservation Fund (JCF), known in Portuguese as
Instituto Onça-Pintada (IOP), was founded in June 2002 by a group of researchers with a strong background of work dedicated to the species. Its mission is "To promote the conservation of the
jaguar, its natural prey and habitat throughout the species' geographical range, as well as its peaceful coexistence with man, through research and conservation strategies". The largest part (48%) of the jaguar's geographical distribution, which extends from northern
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
to the southwestern
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, lies within
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
. However, although nationally considered endangered, until the foundation of the JCF few programs focusing on conservation of the species existed. Today, JCF is the only Brazilian NGO (non-governmental organization) devoted exclusively to promoting the conservation of the jaguar. It is currently implementing scientific research in four Brazilian biomes (
Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
,
Cerrado
The ''Cerrado'' (, ) is a vast ecoregion of tropical savanna in eastern Brazil, particularly in the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Minas Gerais, and the Federal District. The core areas of the Cerrado biome are the ...
,
Caatinga
Caatinga (, ) is a type of semi-arid tropical vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in interior northeastern Brazil. The name "Caatinga" is a Tupi word meaning "white forest" or "white vegetation" (''caa'' = forest, v ...
and
Pantanal
The Pantanal () is a natural region encompassing the world's largest tropical wetland area, and the world's largest flooded grasslands. It is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and ...
) and supports partner organizations in the
Atlantic Forest. Research topics include long-term population monitoring programs for jaguars and their main prey species, and management programs to solve the conflict between the predator and livestock ranchers. Additionally, JCF's projects of cultural, educational and social character contribute to conservation of the jaguar,
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
, and to reduction of the
effects of global warming
The effects of climate change impact the physical environment, ecosystems and human societies. The environmental effects of climate change are broad and far-reaching. They affect the water cycle, oceans, sea and land ice (glaciers), sea lev ...
. In order to facilitate contact between non-Brazilian supporters/sponsors and JCF activities in Brazil, the Jaguar Conservation Fund –US was founded in 2004 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Controversy
In 2022 an
IBAMA
Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources ( pt, Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis, IBAMA) is the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment's administrative arm. IBAMA supports anti-d ...
report showed that between 72 and 125 animals under the institute's care died by "negligence or incompetence" in the last seven years; among them, 52 are from endangered species - the institute considered that three times more animals die than are born at the Jaguar Institute.
[
The fine was R$452 thousand (US$), in addition to the embargo of the "activities of visitation, receipt, destination, disposal (with any justification) and reproduction of specimens until the presentation of appropriate conservation projects." IBAMA also considers inappropriate the exhibition of animals aiming at financial advantage carried out by the JCF, something forbidden by Conama resolution No. 489/18.][
In response, the NGO representatives said that the "assessment deserves to be annulled due to "several formal and procedural defects that tarnish it" and that it would not be possible to attribute the deaths to any "negligence, imprudence or unskillfulness".]
See also
* Red Yaguarete
References
External links
*
Jaguar Conservation Fund/Instituto Onça-Pintada
'
Nature conservation in Brazil
Organizations established in 1992
Cat conservation organizations
Animal welfare organisations based in Brazil
{{Brazil-org-stub