Cattle farmers in the New Road/Somerset and Berks area on the Essequibo Coast in Region 2 (Pomeroon /Supenaam), are complaining of Jaguars killing and eating their young calves.
According to some of the cattle farmers, the Jaguars already killed about 10 calves within the last three months in the Dredge Creek area where there is a cattle pasture.
A farmer related to INews that when he visited the pasture on Tuesday, one calf was there; already killed and partly eaten by the Jaguars. The farmer believed that someone or something may have prevented the Jaguars from taking away the dead animal into the dense jungle aback of the pasture where the Jaguars are believed to be living.
The farmers explained that they suspected the Jaguars, since their young calves were disappearing from the pasture without any trace. They also told INews that after a closer look they saw footprints of the Jaguars in the pasture.
The farmers said that the Jaguars feed at nights and it is very difficult to secure their animals.
When contacted, Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Dennis Jaikarran, said he was not aware of the situation, but promised to immediately make contact with the authorities to bring some help to the farmers.
The Jaguar, Guyana‘s national animal, is protected by the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act 2016.
According to the legislation, collecting, holding in captivity, hunting, killing, or otherwise molesting ‘protected’ species is prohibited.
In 2013, the Guyana Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Panthera Corporation, aimed at conserving the Jaguar.
