From the Mayans to modern day artists, the jaguar has found its place as the most mysterious and beautiful of all wild cats. The efforts to save this jaguar have lain in the hands of one scientist who hopes that people across the planet will understand what lies behind this animal's rigid beauty.
The Efforts to Save the Jaguar
Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, director of the WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) of the Science and Exploration Program has devoted his life to learning and preserving the jaguars and not only as a species in the Cockscomb basin in Belize, South America, which he studied since the early eighties. He is responsible for creating sanctuaries and nature reserves for the jaguar in Belize, Taiwan, Thailand, Laos, Borneo, and Burma, and his field work in Belize resulted in an important discovery about how jaguars behave.
The Jaguar and the New Millenium
Dr. Alan Rabinowitz's vision for preserving the jaguars as a worldwide species has resulted in important conservation efforts to save the jaguars all over the world by designating specifically marked territories known as Jaguar Geographic Regions (JGRs). In 1999, jaguar experts discussed the future of jaguars and how additional efforts could be further used to preserve the jaguar worldwide.
The Jaguar as a Hunter
As mankind and the jaguars fight for territory, jaguars continue to hunt. They can usually kill their prey in one blow, which also makes them "loners" by nature and elusive in their hunting styles. Jaguars are also known for attacking their prey from trees. During the mating season however, jaguars often protect their female partner as well as its terrain. Jaguars have complete control over their environment, which often stretches for miles which includes land, sea and water. But this is changing as Wildlife Conservation Efforts pool more and more dedicated professionals to set up camps in Jaguar territory.
The Jaguar's Mythical Healing Powers Help with Conservation Efforts
In some parts of South America, efforts to conserve the jaguar continue as more citizens encourage the public to stay out of jaguar territory, as they believe in the jaguar's mythological powers. As the master of animals in Central American mythology, the jaguar was the chief figure in Mayan rites and all types of sacrifices were made to the Jaguar God. The jaguar is the most celebrated beast for its empowering divine power.The ancient Mayas and Incas saw the Jaguar as a divine creature whose skin represented the night sky. The Aztecs fed the hearts of their sacrificial victims to jaguars.
The jaguar continues to be hunted despite its allure. The Wildlife Conservation Society's conservation efforts continue to save the rainforest's most endangered species.
Dorit Sasson - Hello! I'm an ESL instructor, teacher diversity coach and writer for the educational markets who writes on English language learners ...
