A security camera captured a jaguar (Panthera onca) calmly walking through a tourist area in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, around 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 21. The camera, located in a house in Colonia Conchas Chinas, recorded the feline descending from a mountainous area into the urbanized zone.
This is the second report of a jaguar sighting in recent days, with another camera also capturing evidence of the big cat’s presence. According to the Mexican Official Standard NOM-059-SEMARNAR-2010, the jaguar is classified as an endangered species.
Biologists have identified two jaguars roaming the residential area, likely in search of prey such as deer, peccaries, and even dogs. The public is urged not to harm the species and to respect its movement.
One of the main threats to the jaguar, a species that requires large and well-preserved territories, is habitat fragmentation. As hotel complexes and residential areas encroach on ecosystems, interactions between wildlife and humans become more common, increasing the risk of incidents and zoonotic disease outbreaks.
Jaguar Distribution in Mexico
In Mexico, the jaguar’s distribution includes southeastern states such as Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo. On the Pacific side, the species is present from Nayarit to Sonora. In the north, jaguars also inhabit Tamaulipas and Nuevo León. There is evidence of jaguars crossing the border into Arizona, which was once part of their territory before they were exterminated by hunting.
Source: Por Esto
