Panthera’s CEO Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, Hon. Lisel Alamilla, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, and Dr. Wilma Wright, Interim President of the University of Belize, have signed a memorandum of understanding which will benefit the Jaguars living in Belize’s Central Corridor.
The trilateral agreement represents pledges from all 3 parties to work together in implementing science-based conservation initiatives to conserve Belize’s jaguar populations and their natural habitats. It’s significant because according to scientists, they discovered a jaguar corridor in Belize, which showed the ideal relationships between the wildlife and human populations.
Belize is one of 18 countries that is home to the Jaguars. It is one of 13 in which Panthera has conducted Jaguar conservation initiatives, and it is the sixth country to sign on to the MOU.
The signing took place at the Black Orchid Resort in Burrell Boom on Friday, February 21, where conservationists and interested partners gathered for a presentation from Dr. Rabinowitz about his work as a jaguar expert, and his experience with the Jaguar Corridor Initiative, which seeks to preserve the jaguar population in all 18 Latin American countries.
Speaking to the group, Dr. Rabinowitz said that Belize’s Jaguar population is among the healthiest. He also remarked that their natural habitats in this country remains relatively untouched, which is a model for the rest of Latin-America.
