A jaguar recently spotted roaming in Southern San Pedro has raised questions about the wildlife living on Ambergris Caye and how development is affecting its habitat.
Victoria Chi, the Forest Department’s officer in charge of wildlife management, told News 5 that jaguar sightings on the island are not new. The department has received reports of wildcats in the area for years, including a puma sighting in 2013.
“These wildcats do exist within the island,” Chi said. “We’ve had jaguars, we have pumas, we have ocelots, we have margays. We have all of these in San Pedro.”
Chi said the recent sighting is notable because the jaguar has now been captured on video roaming the island.
There has been online speculation that the jaguar may have come from Mexico, but Chi said its exact route to Ambergris Caye has not been confirmed. She believes it may have swum from Bacalar Chico Nature Reserve, where jaguars have been recorded.
“It could be that they’re swimming from Bacalar Chico into the island and maybe they swim back and forth. It could be a possibility.”
Chi advised residents to keep their distance if they encounter the jaguar and not to chase or provoke it. She urged anyone who spots the animal to contact the Forest Department at 610-1524 and provide the time, location and details about its behaviour.
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