For the conservation of the jaguar

The World Cup will use Zayu as its mascot, an image inspired by the jaguar, one of the iconic species of Mexico and 17 other Latin American countries where it is found.

The jaguar is the largest feline in the Americas and the third largest in the world, after the lion and the tiger. It grows to between one and two meters, measured from snout to tail, and weighs between 45 and 160 kilos. It is a solitary animal, gathering only to mate.

Organisms like the jaguar are known as apex predators because no one else eats them, while they consume a wide variety of organisms: alligators, deer, tapirs, birds, fish, and even farm animals like cows, sheep, goats, among others.

They are also considered "umbrella" organisms. This is a way of describing their predatory action, which controls the size of other species populations that, without their control, could monopolize food or habitat, thereby diminishing the diversity of species inhabiting an ecosystem. In ecological language, this is called "shaping" the landscape.

In Mexico, the jaguar also has symbolic value due to its strength, beauty, and hunting prowess, both on land and in water, making it a particularly dangerous feline for its prey.

It is known that if a jaguar is present in a place, the ecosystem can be considered healthy. Therefore, its protection has become a priority for the countries where it is distributed, which range from Argentina to northern Mexico.

The jaguar is classified as a "Near Threatened" species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, and since 1973, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has included it in Appendix 1, which prohibits trade in this species and any of its parts.

Just a few days ago, 19 countries from the region met in Mexico to design a joint Action Plan for Jaguar Conservation. The plan is for each country to develop protection actions in coordination with the others, pool resources and knowledge to maintain biological corridors that allow for improved movement of this species, and also collaborate to address the problems of coexistence between this species and humans.

Unfortunately, the jaguar is still poached for trafficking in its skin, teeth, claws, and other parts. It is also a victim of hunting by ranchers who see their livestock threatened, and it is also a victim of the expansion of towns and cities, roads, and productive activities that transform its habitat.

Coexisting with wildlife remains a challenge for humans, particularly for those who, detached from our natural environment, are frightened even by the presence of ants in their homes. It's a long road to convince ourselves that, in reality, we are the threat.

* Undersecretary of Biodiversity and Environmental Restoration, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Mexico.