BBC Wildlife - UK 2020-07)

LEFTMarismasNacionales,Nayarit,isan

importantcoastalecosystemcomprising

thelargestswathe(2,000km^2 ) of

mangroveonMexico’sPacificcoast.Fed

bysevenrivers,itscomplexsystemof

lagoonsandestuariessupportsabundant

wildlife,includinga populationof 30

jaguars.Thecatspracticallyliveinthe

waterhere,sustainedbyfish,birdsand

small mammals such as raccoons.

BELOWBothMarismasNacionales

andthenearbyprotectedareaofSan

Blas-SanJuanareofconservation

priorityforjaguars.Betweenthem

liesthesmallprivatereserveofLa

Papalota.Sixjaguarshavebeen

identifiedvisitingthereserve,and

thoughits368haarenotenough

toprovidea homerange,theyoer

vital stepping-stone habitat.

PHOTO STORY JAGUARS

64 BBC Wildlife July 2020