activities · 24
what they do
direct service · 14
- Ecological Restoration and Habitat Management Habitat Restoration & Invasive Species ManagementConducts various restoration projects on the reserve and neighboring ranches, including building gabions to rehydrate the landscape, assisting with water infrastructure, repairing and replacing fencing, installing rolling dips to control erosion, and removing invasive buffelgrass to create firebreaks and restore habitat.
- Engage volunteers and interns in field operationsAccepts a limited number of interns annually to assist biologists and field technicians with camera checks and fieldwork, and engages volunteers in a range of activities including restoration, wildlife monitoring, carpentry, photography, filmmaking, fundraising, artwork, and database entry.
- Host volunteer and internship programs for field and administrative supportEngages volunteers in a range of activities including wildlife monitoring, restoration projects, carpentry, photography, filmmaking, fundraising, artwork, and database entry. Accepts a limited number of interns annually to assist biologists and field technicians with camera checks on the reserve and partner ranches.
- Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation with Ranchers Jaguar Coexistence Incentive ProgramsWorks with ranchers in a buffer zone around the reserve to reduce tensions related to jaguars by providing site visits to discuss conflict minimization strategies and offering monetary awards for photographs of felines captured on motion-triggered cameras placed on ranch properties.
- Implement habitat restoration and land management projects Erosion Control and Habitat RestorationConducts on-the-ground restoration including building gabions to rehydrate landscapes, removing invasive buffelgrass since 2012, installing rolling dips to control erosion, repairing fences to exclude cattle from riparian zones, and maintaining infrastructure. These projects aim to curb erosion, stabilize soils, re-vegetate habitat, and improve watershed function on the reserve and partner ranches.
- Implement habitat restoration and land management projects Erosion Control and Habitat RestorationConducts on-the-ground restoration and infrastructure work including building gabions to rehydrate landscapes, installing rolling dips to control erosion, repairing fences (including experimental designs to exclude cattle from riparian zones), removing invasive buffelgrass since 2012, and repurposing materials from old structures for road repairs.
- Land Acquisition and Reserve ManagementAcquires and manages land to establish and expand the 56,000-acre Northern Jaguar Reserve, creating a permanently protected area for jaguars and other wildlife. This includes patrolling the reserve, maintaining infrastructure, and performing restoration projects.
- Manage and expand the Northern Jaguar ReserveManages the 56,000-acre Northern Jaguar Reserve through land acquisition, infrastructure maintenance, and ecological restoration. The organization has purchased multiple properties since 2003—including Los Pavos (10,000 acres), Zetázora (33,650 acres), and Bábaco II (2,750 acres)—to establish and expand the reserve, with ongoing efforts to reduce poaching and other threats through expansion.
- Manage and expand the Northern Jaguar ReserveManages the 56,000-acre Northern Jaguar Reserve and has acquired multiple properties since 2003 to expand the reserve, including six contiguous former ranches, with recent purchases such as Bábaco II (2,750 acres) in 2019. Ongoing efforts aim to expand the reserve further to reduce poaching and other threats.
- Operate the Viviendo con Felinos rancher incentive program Jaguar Coexistence Incentive ProgramsPartners with ranchers in a buffer zone around the reserve through the Viviendo con Felinos program, placing motion-triggered cameras on their properties and providing monetary awards—5,000 pesos for jaguar photos and varying amounts for other felines—for documented sightings. The program has distributed over 6 million pesos cumulatively to support coexistence and reduce human-wildlife conflict.
- Organize community engagement and recognition events Public Environmental Events & OutreachHosts the Jaguar Festival in Sahuaripa, Mexico, where awards are presented to winners of a photography contest, fostering local engagement and recognition of conservation efforts.
- Provide technical assistance and conflict mitigation to ranchers Jaguar Coexistence Incentive ProgramsOffers site visits and consultations to ranchers to develop strategies for minimizing human-jaguar conflict, while also assisting with water infrastructure improvements and restoration projects such as gabion construction and erosion control to support sustainable land use.
- Recognize community contributions through photography awards Public Environmental Events & OutreachHosts a photography contest and presents awards to winners at the Jaguar Festival in Sahuaripa, Mexico, recognizing contributions to jaguar conservation and community engagement.
- Support conservation on private ranches through Viviendo con Felinos program Jaguar Coexistence Incentive ProgramsPartners with ranchers in a buffer zone to reduce human-wildlife conflict by placing motion-triggered cameras on their properties, providing monetary incentives (e.g., 5,000 pesos for jaguar photos), and cumulatively disbursing over 6 million pesos for feline photographs. Also provides site visits to advise on conflict mitigation strategies.
research · 6
- Conduct scientific publication and data analysis Jaguar Coexistence Incentive ProgramsPublished studies demonstrating that protections in the Northern Jaguar Reserve and Viviendo con Felinos ranches have positive impacts on feline populations, using long-term camera and ecological data to support conservation outcomes.
- Conduct wildlife monitoring using motion-triggered cameras Jaguar Coexistence Incentive ProgramsUses motion-triggered cameras across the Northern Jaguar Reserve and partner ranches in the Viviendo con Felinos program to non-invasively monitor wildlife. The project has documented over 80 jaguars, maintains individual identification records based on spot patterns, and supports the longest continuous jaguar observation in Mexico, with more than 20 years of data and over 1,900 jaguar photo records.
- Conduct wildlife monitoring using motion-triggered cameras Jaguar Coexistence Incentive ProgramsDeploys and maintains motion-triggered cameras on the Northern Jaguar Reserve and across 21 ranches in the Viviendo con Felinos program to monitor wildlife, having documented over 80 jaguars and tracked individual jaguars photographed in other locations in Sonora.
- Facilitate research on feline populations and conservation impact Jaguar Coexistence Incentive ProgramsConducts and publishes research on jaguar movements and population dynamics, including studies demonstrating positive impacts of the Northern Jaguar Reserve and Viviendo con Felinos ranches on feline populations, and inventories restoration projects to assess conservation benefits.
- Support conservation research and ecological monitoring Wildlife Monitoring & Community ScienceConducts long-term ecological research including bird surveys since 2007, vegetation assessments with the University of Sonora, invertebrate sampling for ecosystem health indicators, ranid frog disease monitoring, permanent photo plot analysis since 2008, and weather station operations since 2010. These efforts support scientific understanding of habitat recovery and species diversity in the reserve and surrounding areas.
- Wildlife Monitoring and Research Wildlife Monitoring & Community ScienceConducts long-term wildlife monitoring and research using motion-triggered cameras to observe and identify individual jaguars and other felines, maintaining a photo database with over 20 years of data. This also includes conducting surveys for ranid frogs, birds, and invertebrates, monitoring climatic conditions, and assessing vegetation trends.
capacity building · 4
- Enhance field research infrastructure International Mission Base OperationsUpgraded former ranch camps with solar-powered lighting and refrigeration, sleeping cabins, hot showers, outhouses, and water tanks to support extended stays for researchers and field staff, improving operational capacity for long-term monitoring and conservation work.
- Field Station Infrastructure Development International Mission Base OperationsUpgrades former ranch camps with solar-powered lights, refrigeration, sleeping cabins, hot showers, outhouses, and water tanks to support longer field stays for staff and researchers.
- Improve field infrastructure to support conservation operations International Mission Base OperationsUpgrades former ranch camps with solar-powered lighting and refrigeration, sleeping cabins, hot showers, outhouses, and water tanks to enable longer field stays for staff and researchers.
- Internship and Volunteer ProgramsOffers internships to assist biologists and field technicians with camera monitoring and engages volunteers in various activities such as restoration, wildlife monitoring, carpentry, photography, filmmaking, fundraising, artwork, and database entry.
strategies · 18
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Binational Collaborative Conservation binational_collaborationThe organization operates with a binational approach, managing cross-border relationships and collaborating with citizen groups, government agencies, scientists, and ranchers in both the U.S. and Mexico. This strategy aims to identify priority habitats and key travel corridors in the borderlands to achieve lasting conservation change.
- Binational and Collaborative Conservation binational_collaborationThe organization adopts a binational approach, managing cross-border relationships and fostering collaboration among citizen groups, government agencies, scientists, and ranchers to achieve lasting conservation outcomes. This includes working with other binational organizations to identify priority habitats and travel corridors.
- Binational collaborative conservation binational_collaborationAdvances conservation through cross-border partnerships with local communities, government agencies, scientists, and NGOs, leveraging binational collaboration and community-based stewardship to protect jaguar populations and habitats across political boundaries.
- Culture-based conservation engagement culture-based_conservationLeverages the cultural and spiritual significance of the jaguar in Mesoamerican traditions to strengthen conservation messaging and deepen local engagement with jaguar protection efforts.
- Ecological restoration and water infrastructure habitat_restorationRestores degraded habitats by removing invasive species, improving vegetation, and constructing water conservation structures like gabions to enhance ecosystem resilience and support jaguar survival in arid environments.
- Habitat Connectivity and Expansion habitat_connectivityThe organization establishes and expands protected areas, including a core sanctuary and buffer zones, and works to connect these areas with other conservation lands to facilitate gene flow, allow jaguars to access resources, find mates, and adapt to climate change. This strategy also involves advocating for and restoring wildlife corridors, especially in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.
- Habitat Connectivity and Expansion habitat_connectivityThe organization establishes a core sanctuary and expands protection outward through buffer zones and passageways to connect with other conservation lands, creating an ever-widening circle of protection. This strategy facilitates gene flow, allows jaguars to access resources, find mates, and adapt to climate change, while also advocating for and restoring wildlife corridors.
- Habitat Restoration and Management habitat_restorationThe organization conducts habitat restoration treatments, including improving conditions in areas impacted by cattle ranching, removing invasive species like buffelgrass, and constructing water conservation infrastructure. These actions aim to provide a safe haven for jaguars by promoting native vegetation, conserving water, reducing erosion, and mitigating fire hazards.
- Habitat Restoration and Management habitat_restorationThe organization actively restores degraded habitats by conducting treatments to improve conditions, promote vegetation growth, and raise the water table. This includes removing invasive species and constructing water conservation infrastructure to combat erosion and stabilize soils, thereby creating a safe and thriving environment for jaguars and other wildlife.
- Habitat connectivity and landscape-scale protection habitat_connectivityEstablishes a core sanctuary (Northern Jaguar Reserve) and expands protection through buffer zones and wildlife corridors, enabling gene flow, resource access, and climate adaptation for jaguars and other wildlife by connecting fragmented habitats across the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.
- Incentive-Based Community Conservation incentive-based_conservationThe organization engages local ranchers through an incentive-based program ("Viviendo con Felinos") where they agree to protect wildlife on their properties in exchange for benefits. This approach aims to create refuge for jaguars outside the main reserve and fosters positive relationships through collaboration and community engagement.
- Incentive-Based Community Conservation incentive-based_conservationThe organization engages local ranchers through programs like "Viviendo con Felinos," offering incentives in exchange for their commitment to protect wildlife on their properties. This approach fosters positive relationships, strengthens community support for wild carnivore conservation, and expands refuge for jaguars beyond the reserve boundaries.
- Incentive-based coexistence with ranchers incentive-based_conservationEngages private landowners through the Viviendo con Felinos program, offering incentives in exchange for wildlife protection commitments, fostering coexistence and expanding jaguar refuge beyond protected reserves.
- Intern-driven field operations internship_programDeploys trained interns to support remote fieldwork, relying on their physical and mental preparedness, Spanish proficiency, and camping skills to extend operational capacity without direct predator handling.
- Land acquisition and strategic expansion land_acquisition_strategyIdentifies and prepares for future land acquisitions by researching property ownership and legal status, enabling strategic expansion of protected areas around the Northern Jaguar Reserve.
- Research and Monitoring for Adaptive Management research_and_monitoring_for_conservationThe organization employs ongoing research and long-term camera monitoring to understand ecosystem dynamics, compare conservation approaches, and explore interspecies relationships. By monitoring indicator species, the organization gauges the success of its management activities and enhances the conservation of native biodiversity and ecological function.
- Research and Monitoring for Adaptive Management research_and_monitoring_for_conservationThe organization employs ongoing research and long-term camera monitoring to understand ecosystem dynamics, the role of carnivores, and interspecies relationships. This data-driven approach, including the use of indicator species, informs conservation strategies and gauges the success of management activities to enhance biodiversity and ecological function.
- Technology-enabled wildlife monitoring camera_monitoringUses motion-triggered camera traps on participating ranches to monitor wild felid populations, inform conservation decisions, and measure program impact within the Viviendo con Felinos network.
named programs · 2
what they call their work
Northern Jaguar Reserve
Protects jaguars and their habitat through conservation efforts and research, including monitoring wildlife populations using motion-triggered cameras.
Viviendo con Felinos®
Collaborates with local ranchers to promote coexistence with wildlife, providing incentives for protecting jaguars and other felines.
relationships · 9
who they work with
- Asociación Conservación del Norte, A.C. Partner — Holds titles to the reserve properties and is dedicated to the protection of flora and fauna.
- Cuenca Los Ojos Partner — Conservation land connected to the Northern Jaguar Reserve's protected buffer zone.
- Rancho El Aribabi Partner — Conservation land connected to the Northern Jaguar Reserve's protected buffer zone.
- Ranchos Vecinos de la Reserva del Jaguar del Norte, A.C. Partner — A group formed by Viviendo con Felinos ranchers to highlight the need for management practices aligned with conservation.
- Reserva Monte Mojino Partner — Conservation land connected to the Northern Jaguar Reserve's protected buffer zone.
- University of Arizona Partner — Works with an ornithologist from the University of Arizona to assess bird distribution, residency, breeding status, and abundance on the reserve.
- University of Missouri Partner — Granted permission to use a carved conch shell pendant image as the organization's logo.
- University of Querétaro Partner — An entomologist from the University of Querétaro has overseen invertebrate monitoring efforts on the reserve since 2011.
- University of Sonora Partner — Works with a Mexican researcher from the University of Sonora on vegetation surveys and land cover assessment.