Home Latest News Ecotourism in Brazil: in the field of jaguars

Ecotourism in Brazil: in the field of jaguars

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Porto Jofrefr pelvis | When Oscar de Morace is not looking for Jaguare, he can be found in his floating houses on the banks of Rio San Lurenso. There he sits under a mosquito net on two folded blue plastic chairs and looks like Brazilian soap, and the fan blows fresh air. So far, someone does not ask him if he can show him Jaguar. Then his eyes are expanding in his big round face, which otherwise seems so gloomy, and he begins to smile.

Pantanal from almost 200,000 square kilometers is the largest inner swamp zone in the world and is located on the border of Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. 22 years ago, when de Morace began to lead tourists to the jaguars, this was considered a misanthropic land, with embankments, mosquitoes, snakes and piranhas. And Yaguaren. Pantaneyr, as the residents of the region called, pursued large cats. Because the jaguars tore their cows – and hit the ranch. Soon there were almost no jaguars left there.

Two decades later, the history of Pantanal is considered a striking example of the protection of species through ecotourism. Because de Morais and others from the region realized that a lot of money can be earned with Jaguar Safaris. The ranch also understood that thanks to tourists, rare large cats were more useful than dead. Ecotourism has broken. The lodges are completely booked in advance. Nowhere in the world there are no more jaguars in relation to this area. But tourism got out of control.

“Pantanal risks becoming a victim of his own success,” says Fernando Tortato, a scientist and long -term employee of Panthera, who cares about protecting large cats. In the high season, about thirty boats are quickly gathering or more in those places where jaguars are located. Each is full of tourists who want them to be tied as close as possible to the best photo.

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The collapse is threatened

Nevertheless, jaguars interfere with hunting for more than 100 square kilometers. But they even swim through wide rivers. Tortatato fears that the masses of boats can frighten animals and that jaguars pursue only in small areas. At the same time, many people do not seem especially attractive to future visitors. The cake and his colleagues are now afraid of the collapse of a well -created concept. How can tourism work without enduring jaguars and, therefore, also your own livelihood?

When de Morace collects a group of tourists in February, the sky is still grayish -green. The Hyazintharas group disperses a tree screech, while tourists are clumsy in a shaky boat. They wear solar hats and functional clothes. De Morace sits in the front of the boat and switches to his radio. He informs other tourist boats about this if he sees Jaguar. “Keep your eyes and ears open after movements on the shore,” he calls, moving to the starting rope on the suspension.

De Morais turns the throttle and maneuver on the boat past endless fields of aquatic plants. After an hour, the trip behind the curve opens a light plot of land. De Morace comes out of gas and allows the boat to get closer. He squeezes his eyes together, holds his hand on his forehead to protect himself from the sun, and explores the concentrated coast. A young tourist does it.

“Good luck is required to find one at this time of the year,” says de Morace. This is a rainy season in Pantanal. When winter begins in Europe, winds from the north bring moisture from the forests of the Amazon to the Pantanal. They are so rich in water that they are called “Vios Voadores”: Flying Rivers. During these months, it rains up to 240 liters per square meter, about twice as much as in the rain in Germany. Flat ground is sloppy like a huge sponge. Water masses flood the entire area with a piece, up to 80 percent of the water area.

For de Morais and other residents, these are quiet months. Few tourists are lost in a swamp; Too many mosquitoes float every free skin spot, and jaguars rarely can be seen. Only when the water flows across the Paraguay river around May, and the marsh areas are dry, that the capybras, Kaimans, Rizenotter and Jaguar gather in river veins to drink and hunt. On such days, Oscar sometimes sees 20 large cats in one day. Paradise for tourists. But how long?

“If such resources as observations of the jaguar are freely available, there is a risk that they will be excessively used and ultimately destroyed,” says Tortatato. “This can be avoided by agreeing the community with the rules of use and short -term profit.” However, it is difficult for boat operators.

“In the dry months, it would be better if you didn’t tell anyone where they saw Jaguare,” says Tortato. This would avoid large collections of boats. “In any case, he will almost certainly see Jaguar.” But this is not an option for boat operators. “The problem is that people here have very close social networks. You help. No one wants to hold from a colleague where he sees Jaguar, even if it is better for everyone in the long run. “

The leader of the Oscar de Morace


Photo:
Francesco Schneider-Eikke


Today the bank remains empty. De Morace snort is disappointed and controls the boat upstream. You can hardly see other boats. If someone passes by, welcomes. According to Tortato, it still makes sense to share information about the observations of Jaguar in the rainy months. Thus, tourists have good chances to see Jaguar, even if they rarely come to the river.

But the radio remains motionless. For several hours, de Morace controls tourists through the river network, past the places where he saw the jaguars so often, deeper in the swamp landscape.

Suddenly, exhausted from thoughtful sunny heat, De Morais knocks out the boat and turns over. He points to the bushes. Only de Morais, it seems, have noticed something. A dense pattern can hardly be placed in the ball of snacks. Only after a few seconds brown shining eyes are burning. Then, gradually, a wet black nose shines, mixes into a jaguar head with a mustache, jaw and ears. Pink tongue slowly slides over the black lips. Jaguar yawns and shows his claw, yellow corner teeth. Tourists pull out their camera. De Morace identified the engine, now it is quiet. You can only hear a click on the trigger.

“What is this jaguar?” He asks one of the tourists. “This is a shrinkage,” de Morace replies. He can list more than fifteen names Jaguar. “Patricia is my favorite jaguar,” he says. “Manat is the largest.” “And Nina?” He asks one of the tourists and points to the sweatshirt that the leader of the boat wears. The huge head of Jaguar is printed on it along with the inscription “Nina”. “Nina is also beautiful, but not as much as patricia. I already know them the longest. Now she received three children. ”

Pantanal risks becoming a victim of his own success

Fernando Tortatato, scientist

De Morace stops twenty minutes before Yaguar before he controls the house. Once there, he ties a boat, and thanks to tourists. You are satisfied.

This should not remain as idyllic as this tour. A few months ago, Mato Grosso decided to build a bridge over Rio San Lurenso to connect the south to the north of Pantanal and lure more tourists to the region. This can be the beginning of larger infrastructure projects, suspects scientists and ecologists -ecologists. For example, Transantaneira, a gravel road through Pantanal, can be paved. “It will be the end of the Pantanal, as we know him.”

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