Pantanal Conservation Program
The Pantanal of southwestern Brazil is the world's largest wetland. It harbors one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in the Neotropics. While largely pristine and intact, over past decades a number of factors have contributed to both economic decline in the region and increased conflicts between humans and wildlife. WCS is seeking to integrate socioeconomic development and wildlife conservation in the region based upon site-based, applied research. This is part of a regional strategy for wildlife conservation in rangeland habitats.

The Human Aspect
For over 200 years, cattle ranching has been the main economic activity in the Pantanal. Indeed, more than 95 percent of the Pantanal's territory remains as private cattle ranches. Consequently, an expansion of the conservation system in the region will strongly depend upon the cooperation of ranchers. WCS is working to engage, train, and empower local stakeholders, especially ranchers, to adopt better management practices. Fishing and tourism are other important economic activities in the region.

Threats
Poor scientific knowledge, lack of alternative sources of income, and poor understanding of conservation principles by local stakeholders, combined with regional economic decline, have generated the current conflict between humans and wildlife. In particular, jaguar predation on livestock today often leads to ranchers killing jaguars.

WCS Activities
A major source of conflict with wildlife in the region is jaguar predation on livestock. As part of our Jaguar Conservation Program, WCS is supporting a long-term research program on the species. This research has already provided some of the most intensive data ever collected on jaguar social and foraging ecology. WCS has also gathered ecological data on jaguars with an eye toward decreasing depredation rates on cattle. We are working with ranchers to examine, characterize, and address jaguar/livestock problems and devise potential solutions. In our search for solutions, we are providing ranchers with pertinent literature on jaguar related issues, creating a network of ranches to test and monitor depredation abatement methods, and to test and implement changes in land and cattle management practices that will benefit both wildlife (especially jaguars) and cattle.

In addition, WCS has carried out research on giant river otters, and conducted a Pantanal-wide survey of public opinion to assess the feelings of local stakeholders toward wildlife.

Important Next Steps
Expand jaguar ecology studies more broadly across the Pantanal and expand the conservation strategy for the species in the region, focusing also on important prey species.

Continue to implement ranch management recommendations at participating ranches, and expand the network of cattle ranches interested in joining our conservation efforts.

Conduct ecological research to test alternative economic activities, and teach better management practices by example. These practices will, in turn, favor wildlife conservation in the context of ranching.