Watching wildlife in the Bolivian Amazon

Understanding the animals around them helps Amazon communities live alongside wildlife. Camera traps are a vital tool for coexistence

11 October 2023

Bolivia is home to the world’s fourth largest population of jaguars as well as a variety of unique habitats. Protecting these landscapes and the wildlife that lives there is vital as they face threats such as fires and deforestation.

Forests are a key habitat for jaguars, and we’ve been working with local communities and the private sector to find ways to protect these areas, whether that’s by raising awareness of the links between meat production and deforestation, or supporting sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products such as Brazil nuts.

We’ve also worked with local partners to install over 150 camera traps at two sites in the Bolivian Amazon so that local people can gain a better understanding of the jaguars and other wildlife on their doorstep, and feel more invested in protecting it.

The cameras in Manuripi National Amazon Wildlife Reserve and Monte Verde Indigenous territory in Santa Cruz have already given an indication of the state of wildlife there. In Monte Verde, for instance, provisional findings suggest that the jaguar population density reflects a healthy ecosystem.

The cameras have also captured some incredible footage of jaguars and other animals – watch our camera trap playlist below to see who’s in the neighbourhood.

Watch: Camera trap playlist of Bolivian Amazon wildlife

Adopt a jaguar

You can help us do more to protect jaguars and support local communities to live alongside these big cats by adopting a jaguar.

BANNER IMAGE © STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / WWF

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