Short Abstract:

Jaguars play a vital role in many indigenous cosmologies.As jaguars' populations are declining, an expert group of anthropologists and conservationists discusses the need to engage with traditional knowledge to reconnect local people to the species to successfully protect it.(Spanish interpretation)

Long Abstract:

Jaguars are the largest feline of the American continent and a valuable symbol for many indigenous cultures. However, jaguars are increasingly endangered, primarily due to habitat loss, human wildlife conflicts and wildlife trade. Current efforts to protect the species are predominantly informed and influenced by Western perceptions and scientifically rooted management approaches. Conservation organizations have often overlooked and failed to acknowledge the importance of local and indigenous views and knowledge on jaguars. Because indigenous territories overlap with more than half of world's biodiversity, integrating their ecological knowledge and cultural perceptions on jaguars is a fundamental step to design multi-cultural plans, while reconnecting societies with the cultures and beliefs of their territories. Learning from indigenous cosmologies, narratives and other native original knowledge about the jaguar can broad our knowledge and, can also elevate the priority given to wildlife conservation by governments and the public. In this panel, anthropologists, indigenous people and conservationists will engage in an open dialogue about fundamental principles and perspectives that are vital for the protection of jaguars with an active leadership role of local communities and indigenous peoples. The output of this discussion will constitute an important contribution for any actor working in the field of nature conservation.