Progress on jaguar conservation in Suriname

Jaguar (Panthera onca). Photo by Rhett A. Butler / Mongabay

One unanticipated aspect of the foreign Chinese presence in Suriname is the rise of demand for jaguar parts. Chinese medicine has long employed pieces of animals, from donkey-hide gelatin to pangolin scales to rhino horn to tiger penis. It is believed that the jaguar’s similarity to the tiger – as well as efforts by the Chinese government to reduce the trade in tiger parts –may have shifted the demand to the jaguar, which was never part of traditional Chinese medicine.

Recent research by the World Animal Protection League revealed an appalling trade in Surinamese jaguar products. Chinese traders are paying local hunters (usually Maroons but also Amerindians) to slaughter jaguars for markets back in China. The teeth and claws are made into necklaces and other jewelry. A more bizarre practice entails boiling the entire cat for seven days to create a paste or a glue, said to cure everything from insomnia to rheumatism. As with the use of rhino horn as an aphrodisiac, the scientific consensus is that jaguar paste has no therapeutic benefits.

In the face of growing public outcry, Surinamese civil society recently took a most extraordinary step forward in combatting this dreadful practice. John Goedschalk, Director of Conservation International – Suriname, helped organize a meeting of both religious and tribal leaders, enabling them to speak out with one voice against jaguar poaching.

Conference poster. ‘Kibri mi’ means ‘Save me’ in Sranan Tongo, one of Suriname’s two national languages. ‘Ik ben de koning’ means ‘I am the king!’ in Dutch, Suriname’s other national language.

The meeting was held on October 30 at the Islamic Cultural Center in Paramaribo (this being Suriname, the Center is located between the mosque and the synagogue!). With funding from Global Wildlife Conservation and Staatsolie (State Oil of Suriname), the meeting was officially initiated by the Surinamese Inter-Religious Council and the Committee of Christian Churches. Conservation International Suriname managed logistics with some assistance from the Amazon Conservation Team – Suriname and the World Wildlife Fund – Guianas.

An exceptional aspect of the gathering was the diversity of representation: beyond Roman Catholic Bishop Choennie, leaders of the Muslim, Hindu, Baptist and Lutheran communities were also in attendance. No less important were leaders and representatives from all of Suriname’s Amerindian and Maroon groups as well. Further diversity included representatives of the Suriname government, the local university, the National Zoological Collection, the Dutch Embassy, the Paramaribo Zoo, and youth groups and theater associations. Leaders of the Surinamese business associations – including Surinamese Chinese members – also supported the effort.

John Goedschalk said, “The slaughter of our magnificent jaguars for commercial gain is a shameful practice which must be ended. Fortunately, this has brought together many disparate elements of Surinamese society to combat this crime.”

Said Kamainja Panashekung, shaman of the Trio tribe and an ACT field coordinator: “Jaguars are sacred animals who protect the forest. They must not be killed by and for greedy outsiders.”

Rainforest in Suriname. Photo by Rhett A. Butler.

Representatives who attended the October 30 meeting are now deeply engaged in designing an action plan for jaguar conservation in Suriname. The outlines for actions necessary took place during the meeting: the need for baseline studies of jaguar populations, the need for park guard patrols and checkpoint monitoring, etc. The final document should serve as a powerful tool for protecting Suriname’s jaguars and other animals and plants while providing a blueprint for bringing different people together and uniting them in a common cause.

In conclusion, the prevailing sentiment at the meeting was expressed first by the Bishop and essentially echoed by all other speakers:

“Humans have a special responsibility for creation, because we are endowed with reason to respect the laws of nature and the delicate balance between all the beings with whom we share our world!”

Jaguar in Madre de Dios, Peru. Photo by Rhett A. Butler.

Animals, Big Cats, Biodiversity, Carnivores, Cats, China wildlife trade, China’s Demand For Resources, Conservation, Environment, Indigenous Cultures, Jaguars, Poachers, Researcher Perspectives Series, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wildlife, Wildlife Trade, Wildlife Trafficking

Amazon, South America, Suriname

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Source link : https://news.mongabay.com/2018/11/progress-on-jaguar-conservation-in-suriname/

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Publish date : 2018-11-20 03:00:00

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