Lemonal Residents Fear Captured Jaguar May Not Be Responsible for Cattle Attacks

Residents of Lemonal Village in the Belize District are growing increasingly concerned following reports that a jaguar believed to have been captured earlier this week may not be the same animal responsible for a series of livestock attacks in the community.  The matter was raised publicly yesterday morning when the Chairlady of Lemonal Village, Miss Banner, called into the Morning Show on Love FM and Love Television to share the concerns expressed by residents.  According to Banner, farmers in the village have recently reported several incidents where cattle were killed, prompting fears that a jaguar had been roaming the area and preying on livestock. The situation had initially appeared to be addressed on Sunday when the Belize Forest Department confirmed that a jaguar had been captured in the Lemonal area. Acting Chief Forestry Officer John Pinelo had reported that the captured animal was a female jaguar.  However, Banner says developments in the investigation have raised new questions. Information circulating among residents suggests that the predator responsible for killing the cattle may actually be a male jaguar, which has led to growing concern that the animal captured may not be the same one responsible for the attacks.

Lemonal Chairwoman: “This was a jaguar that was actively being tracked. And when the jaguar made its way into the Lemonal Village no one sounded the alarm from the Forestry Department, from the sustainable group in Cozal, that there’s a problem jaguar within the Lemonal proper. This jaguar had no fear of humans. It was sighted several times within the village, roaming the streets, in people’s yards where there are kids and domesticated animals. The last time we had an issue with problem jaguar in Lemonal was well over twenty five years ago. We know we have to cohabit with these wildlife, that is not the issue. The issue is that it was a problem jaguar released within a small community. A community that is trying to self sustain itself. Nothing is given to us so when you have a farmer losing thirty heads of cattle that’s years and years of investment and hard work. I lost a heifer that was heavily pregnant. Cost almost $5,000. Who will compensate for that ? Not the government of Belize. So the issue was the alarm was not sounded and the jaguar was left to terrorize the village for months yet you hear on the radio talking about the animal was stressed? How about the villagers ? The kids, who have to wait every morning to take the bus. Could you imagine if one young man opened his window one night and the jaguar was staring him in the face. And this happened from since November this has been going on. And from the mere fact that the guy asked was it the same jaguar because all this while it was a male it was a male. Yesterday they said it was a female. So is it that there are two problem jaguars in Lemonal Village? That is my question. Is it two problem Jaguars within Lemonal Village because from the onset you have been hearing oh it’s a male. Yesterday now it’s Anri it’s a female.”

Banner explained that this uncertainty has heightened fears in the community, as residents now worry that there could be more than one jaguar moving through the area and preying on livestock.  With that possibility in mind, villagers are urging wildlife authorities to continue their investigations and monitoring efforts to determine whether another jaguar may still be roaming the community. In the meantime, residents remain alert and are being encouraged to report any sightings to officials from the Forest Department./