Perceptions and knowledge of the jaguar among children in communities neighboring the montes azules biosphere reserve in Chiapas, Mexico

Abstract

This study describes perceptions and knowledge of the jaguar among children in communities neighboring the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas, Mexico. There have been several cases of livestock depredation by the jaguar in these communities, and the study aimed to determine children’s perceptions of the jaguar in light of this problem. A total of 102 children from four communities on the banks of the Rio Lacantún River, adjacent to the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, were involved in the study. The children were between 6 and 12 years old. Interviews, drawing, and participant observation were the main research tools employed. A high percentage of the children recognize the jaguar as a species that lives in the jungle. Likewise, they consider it to be a dangerous animal that eats people and livestock. In general, the children had little knowledge of the physical characteristics of the species. This study represents an initial step in defining methodologies for socioecological studies with children. Immediate lines of action have been identified from the data generated, and these will form a basis for an environmental education strategy in the region.