THE PURPOSE OF WWF'S PROPOSED PROJECT "PROMOTING HUMAN-JAGUAR COEXISTENCE IN THE MAYA FOREST OF MEXICO" IS…

Assistance award details

Assistance award identifier

ASST_NON_F22AP03053_014

FAIN

F22AP03053

Recipient

WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, INC.

Awarding agency

Department of the Interior

Funding agency

Department of the Interior

Assistance listing (CFDA)

15.640

Total obligated

$190,664

Period

Oct 1, 2022 – Sep 30, 2024

Fiscal year

2022

Place of performance state

DC

Source file

FY2022_All_Assistance_Full_20261006.zip

Description

THE PURPOSE OF WWF'S PROPOSED PROJECT "PROMOTING HUMAN-JAGUAR COEXISTENCE IN THE MAYA FOREST OF MEXICO" IS TO HELP SECURED THE FUTURE OF THE JAGUAR IN MEXICO'S MAYA FOREST IN THE YUCATAN PENINSULA, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JAGUAR STRONGHOLDS IN THE AMERICAS. THE JAGUAR IS SERIOUSLY THREATENED; IT HAS LOST HALF ITS RANGE AND ITS POPULATION IS DECLINING. IN RESPONSE, WWF HAS DEVELOPED A JAGUAR STRATEGY IDENTIFYING THE SITES THAT COLLECTIVELY CAN SECURE THE FUTURE OF THIS ICONIC PREDATOR. THE SPECIES IS UNDER THREAT DUE TO LOSS AND DEGRADATION OF HABITAT AND INTENTIONAL KILLINGS. JAGUARS ARE KILLED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS; FOR TRADE OF THEIR PARTS, IN RETALIATION FOR DEPREDATIONS OF LIVESTOCK AND BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF THEM. IN MEXICO'S MAYA FOREST, THERE ARE MANY SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS WHO RAISE SHEEP AND TO A LESSER DEGREE, CATTLE. LIVESTOCK GRAZING IN JAGUAR CORRIDORS CONNECTING PROTECTED AREAS ARE VULNERABLE TO PREDATION BY JAGUARS. THE LIVESTOCK OWNERS SOMETIMES RESPOND BY KILLING JAGUARS. THIS PROJECT WILL IDENTIFY PRODUCERS MOST AFFECTED BY JAGUAR PREDATION AND HELP THEM PROTECT THEIR LIVESTOCK. WE WILL DO THIS BY ENCLOSING THE LIVESTOCK PASTURES WITH FENCES, INSTALLING SYSTEMS OF LIGHTS TO WARD OFF PREDATORS, AND PROVIDING WATER SOURCES FOR JAGUARS AND THEIR PREY, SEPARATE FROM THE WATER SOURCES FOR LIVESTOCK. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IS LEADING JAGUARS TO PREY ON LIVESTOCK IS A PAUCITY OF PREY, WHICH IS TIED TO INCREASING DROUGHT CONDITIONS. THE POPULATIONS OF PREY SPECIES ARE DECLINING BECAUSE THEIR WATER SOURCES DRY UP DURING WHAT HAVE BECOME LONGER DROUGHT PERIODS, AS DOES THE VEGETATION ON WHICH THEY SUBSIST. THE PROJECT WILL CREATE WATER SOURCES AND PLANT HIGH-PROTEIN STANDS OF NATIVE VEGETATION FOR THE PREY SPECIES TO HELP THEM SURVIVE TIMES OF DROUGHT. THESE MEASURES WILL PROVIDE ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO LANDOWNERS IN THE FORM OF REDUCED LOSS OF LIVESTOCK. WE WILL ALSO HELP LANDOWNERS INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THEIR LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS THRO