Jaguars

When residents and visitors leave food out or easily accessible, it causes conflict with bears that can lead to the death of a bear or a human. Black bears are omnivores and can be opportunistic when it comes to finding food—food left in cars, homes, vacation rentals, or poorly secured trash cans is an easy choice for a hungry bear. When bears become habituated to human food, conflict arises and can tragically result in bears being euthanized. These naturally shy animals are being pushed into further conflict as human development destroys forest corridors, and wildfires force the bears out of the woods and into neighborhoods. Lastly, car strikes on mountain roads that kill or orphan black bears are becoming more prevalent.

‍As human populations increase and development spreads into natural areas, human-jaguar conflict has accelerated. Revenge killing for cattle loss or even hunting out of fear adds to the sad loss of the beautiful jaguar.

Across their range, jaguar are poached for skin, teeth, and claws. These animal parts are sold through illegal markets. In some regions, jaguar cubs are also taken from their mothers to be sold into the illegal pet trade.

‍As sea levels rise in areas where people are living, as in Panama, large groups of people seek homes deeper into wildlife habitats, which causes increased conflicts.

Oakland Zoo supports ARCAS Guatemala to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals caught in illegal trade. Together, we’re funding the construction of a new enclosure for a female jaguar rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. This home will give her—and future rescues—the space they need to thrive. Make a donation here.

Oakland Zoo supports the research and environmental education programs of Kaminando in Panama, as they uncover the best ways to conserve habitats and create community stewards. Oakland Zoo has also sponsored a state-of-the-art enclosure for Kaminando’s beautiful jaguar that are non-releasable and serve as ambassadors to conservation in the wild.

Oakland Zoo provides state-of-the-art wildlife veterinary care for sick, injured, burned, or orphaned wild black bears through a long-standing partnership with California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The zoo’s veterinary team is poised to respond to a bear medical emergency. Oakland Zoo is dedicated to giving black bears the care they need at these critical times. Oakland Zoo will also care for a bear that has been injured and needs to be skillfully cared for before being relocated to a safe territory.

Oakland Zoo shares conservation issues facing Central American species and empowering solutions to conserve them to the public through a variety of channels: Docents and Volunteers, Teen Wild Guides, Education programs, events, exhibits, campaigns, Keeper Talks, and media stories. The Zoo is committed to combating the Illegal Wildlife Trade with a comprehensive campaign to ensure our community is part of the solution: #Endthetrade: Illegal Wildlife Trade.

Oakland Zoo provides yearly professional development training for field partners, offering them a myriad of staff skills and resources to enhance conservation efforts. Oakland Zoo also helped launch the Guardians of the Jaguar program with Kaminando, bringing engaging environmental education opportunities to the valley in Panama. Inspiring work is done to help students understand why the cloud forest is vital to Panama and the world. Oakland Zoo has sent skilled staff to join Kaminando in Panama, to assist with camera trap research efforts in the field. Oakland Zoo also has sent staff with expertise in education, vet training, conservation, media, and animal care to ARCAS in Guatemala to assist with the rehabilitation of wildlife, including jaguars, that are caught in the illegal wildlife trade.

Oakland Zoo has offered Town Zoo beer, made by Ale Industries here in Oakland, proceeds of which support ARCAS in their efforts to prevent the illegal wildlife trade in Guatemala. Shade-grown coffee is sold at our Zoo cafes, ensuring that the coffee buzz we enjoy does not devastate rainforests with deforested agriculture.

Oakland Zoo’s Eco-Travel to Guatemala focuses on ARCAS, providing authentic hands-on work chopping animal diets, cleaning enclosures of rescued animals, and creating special projects that support their crucial work. Oakland Zoo offers travel participants a unique glimpse into the complexities of conservation issues and solutions with the aim to positively impact our partner projects, our travelers, and wildlife.