Forest detectives, ocelots are at risk

At one time, it was enough for the First Lady of the United States to appear wearing a jaguarundi fur coat in the early 1960s.

After all, animals with similar pelage were in the crosshairs of hunters.

The impact of Jacqueline Kennedy’s fashion choices was particularly devastating for the jaguarundi (Leopardus pardalis), which was heavily exploited in the international fur market during the 1960s and 1970s.

However, the animal not only survived the wrath of the fashion industry but also returned to the public eye through various activities from the southern United States to southern Brazil—currently, it is a recognized species.

Internationally, it is considered to have a lower protection status.

According to experts, part of this animal’s survival capability is due to its unique characteristics.

Weighing up to 16 kilograms and measuring up to one meter in length, the jaguarundi sits between large felines like the jaguar (Panthera onca) and its smaller relatives, such as the wildcat (Leopardus tigrinus) and the margay (Leopardus wiedii). This medium size allows it to dominate small forest areas that are too small for larger predators.

“The jaguarundi is the queen of the Atlantic Forest,” said Fernando Lima, a researcher at the São Paulo State University (Unesp) in Rio Claro and coordinator of the Felinos da Canterera project, which operates in the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais.

“It has a size that allows it to stand out and become a top predator in small forest patches where there are no jaguars,” he noted, referencing the National Action Plan for the Conservation of Small Cats from the federal government.

However, in the extreme south of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, jaguarundis are threatened with extinction.

Currently, the concern is not about fur traders but rather about habitat loss in an area that has already reached its occupancy limits.

According to Giselle Jardim Bolze, who studied the species during her master’s program, “It’s at the end of its range, so it has fewer resources and less space, which leads to a decrease in the number of individuals.” She works in Animal Biology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS).

Jaguarundis are highly dependent on the forest in southern Brazil for breeding and hunting easily—they find themselves trapped between soybean cultivation and the natural plantations of the pampas biome, which is less suitable for their lifestyle.

Currently, only a few patches of forest remain in Rio Grande do Sul, with the state government reporting that less than 8% is covered by the Atlantic Forest.

The most crucial of these refuges is the Turvo State Park, located in the northwest of the state, bordering Argentina.

Surrounded by plantations, the 17,500-hectare reserve has become a sort of ecological haven.

“It is one of the few healthy oceanic species in the state,” said Flavia Tirelli, a professor at UFRGS and an expert on small wild cats.

Ultimately, the importance of the park for the species was confirmed by Bolze’s work, which utilized hidden cameras to map animal presence in different regions.

Only three of the six analyzed regions were able to document the species’ presence, with Turvo Park having the highest number of records.

“This forest is very special for the jaguarundis,” the researcher noted.

Established in 1947, Turvo is the oldest reserve in Rio Grande do Sul, the largest forest reserve in the state, and home to the last remaining jaguar (Panthera onca) on Gauchian soil.

It is also home to other endangered species, such as the puma (Puma concolor), the peccary (Pecari tajacu), the tapir (Tapirus terrestris), the harpy eagle (Harpia harpija), and the Great Curassow (Aburria jacutinga).

Ecological inspectors have found jaguarundi records in remaining Atlantic Forest fragments in Rio Grande do Sul, particularly in the Serra Gaúcha, as indicated by another article published in 2021.

According to Tirelli, one of the authors of the study, it seems that by 2010, animals were finding ways to move between the remaining forest fragments.

“The jaguarundi records are few, but they are distributed in that region,” said the researcher.

Conclusion

Thus, the ability to occupy small forest areas has earned the jaguarundi the nickname of “landscape explorer.”

As such, the species is considered a link between different green areas, making it an excellent indicator of green or ecological corridors.

“We had cameras in recovery areas and saw that jaguarundis were among the first species to use the corridor,” said Lima, who monitors jaguarundis in the Pontal do Paranapanema, in the extreme west of São Paulo, and in the Paraná River Basin.

This indicates the best locations to establish connections.

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