In the midst of the global pandemic, we’re seeing wildlife creeping back into urban centers that have been emptied due to social distancing. Unfortunately, this means that poachers have more access to these animals, many of which are wild cats. Poachers also have more time on their hands with work stoppages, hitting the forests while guards attend to their families. We know that wild cat poachers and wildlife traffickers are not slowing down. Neither can we.
Panthera President and CEO Fred Launay notes two important lessons learned from the current pandemic. The first is the importance of the responses of our global leaders in light of global issues such as these. We must foster a global sense of empathy, starting with the people at the top. Only this way will we prevent the disastrous consequences that come from pandemics and climate change.
We have a responsibility to respect the planet we live on and the wildlife that shares it.
The second main point Dr. Launay brings up is the idea that we are totally connected to, and not immune from, nature. Luckily, nature is resilient. Within a few days of humanity retreating indoors, we have seen air and water quality improving and wildlife recolonizing large swath of lands and areas, including cities. We have a responsibility to respect the planet we live on and the wildlife that shares it.
Nature does not need us, we need it for our own survival and we have now another proof that if humanity is to ensure its sustainable future, it cannot do so without our integration with nature being the bedrock of any strategies.
Northern South America Regional Director Esteban Payan has been reporting an increase in the poaching of jaguars, pumas and small cats in Colombia and other parts of the region. While we are respecting quarantine rules in major cities, Panthera is still working in rural areas where maintaining contacts is imperative to prevent this rise in poaching. It’s critical that now more than ever we continue to support our people on-the-ground so they can stand between poachers and wild cats like jaguars, pumas and tigers.
Panthera Thailand Director Kritsana Kaewplang shared this image (below) of a dedicated anti-poaching patrol team from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). They work in Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary, an ~800km2 recovery site important for Indochinese tigers and other species within the southern part of the Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM). Teams like this one continue to put their lives at risk every day as the first defense against poaching, even during a global pandemic.
Panthera’s Donovan Jooste and Geraldo Mayira work in Luenge-Luiana National Park, Angola. Being stationed in this remote area has been made even more difficult due to the current global pandemic and our need to maintain social distancing regulations. From canceled flights, 16-hour driving shifts and dozens of calls to the authorities, our Panthera researchers never give up.
Despite being rejected at borders, struggling to procure enough rations and negotiating with immigration officials, Donovan and Geraldo continue to work around-the-clock to make sure staff are paid and cared for and critical relationships with government officials are maintained. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, Panthera is keeping our promise to support the 400 people who benefit directly and indirectly from our work in the park.
Panthera delivering meal-kits to park employees and their families in Angola.
It’s not all bad news, luckily. Even though many of our scientists are stuck at home social distancing, they are still continuing critical scientific studies of wild cats. For example;
Lion Program Director Paul Funston has been continuously collecting and analyzing data from collared lions across southern Africa, tracking their movements.
Panthera Mexico Director Diana Friedeberg is coordinating countries across Latin America to plan the upcoming Month of the Jaguar to raise awareness for this big cat.
In Chile, Puma Program Director Mark Elbroch and his team are testing a new online procedure to determine whether tour guides can differentiate between individual pumas.
Even while stuck indoors scientists are continuously collecting and analyzing data from collared lions across southern Africa.
Despite this ongoing crisis, Panthera is not taking our foot off the gas when it comes to protecting wild cats. We're continuing our work, in partnership with global government wildlife departments, local organizations and law enforcement agencies, to build a big cat information network to coordinate monitoring of illegal wildlife trade and enforcement efforts across the globe. We're also joining hundreds of international wildlife protection organizations in calling for the World Health Organization (WHO) to urge governments around the globe to permanently ban live wildlife markets, in recognition of their proven threats to human health.
These stories are a reminder that we are all in this together. The more we study and learn about wild cats, the better able we will be to protect them and the wild landscapes where they live. We know that, together, we can ensure a future for wild cats.
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