Conservation Grant to Benefit Jaguar

A grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service will help conserve the jaguar's habitat in Mexico.

The jaguar is among a range of species that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service selected to help protect through a grant awarded to support conservation of Mexican wildlife.

Partnering with the government of Mexico in managing the FWS grants, which total $562,000, helps protect the rich biological inheritance shared by the two nations, said H. Dale Hall, director.

“It is through grants such as these that the United States is doing its part to ensure these species remain a part of the Earth’s biological landscape for generations to come,” Hall said.

The grants are awarded through the Service’s Wildlife Without Borders-Mexico Program, using funds designated by the U.S. Congress for the North American Free Trade Agreement. The funding is provided to work with the government of Mexico in building the local capacity for biodiversity conservation and management.

Funded projects include protection of jaguar habitat through its remaining range in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico; as well as training for Mexican personnel in wildlife conservation and management. The grants will leverage more than $1 million dollars in additional contributions from an array of partners, including the government of Mexico and nonprofit groups.

In addition to the jaguar, other species selected for conservation grants include monarch butterflies, migratory bats and migratory birds.