Panama - The jaguar (Panthera onca) that was run over last night on the Panama-Colón highway, in an area near a biological corridor that connects important forested areas of the country, died this Thursday morning, despite the efforts of veterinarians from the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente) to save its life. The first report was handled by units of the Environmental Police, who notified MiAmbiente personnel. In this regard, the ministry urges authorities and construction companies that, henceforth, in the planning of their works, specifically road expansion or construction, they prioritize wildlife crossings, both terrestrial and arboreal. "The loss of a jaguar has a significant impact on wild populations and on the balance of ecosystems," it was stated. MiAmbiente highlights the need to strengthen education and awareness about coexistence between humans and wildlife. "We will reinforce the connectivity infrastructure of biological corridors, by installing wildlife crossings, both terrestrial and arboreal, and we will carry out more awareness campaigns with various NGOs so that vehicular traffic is not a death sentence for species that are a fundamental part of our natural heritage," the ministry said. In turn, Erick Núñez, head of the Biodiversity Department of MiAmbiente, pointed out that "the roadkill of wild fauna, especially of emblematic species like the jaguar, shows the need to increase environmental awareness and apply effective measures that allow coexistence between road development and wildlife." Meanwhile, Ricardo Moreno, president of the Yaguará Panamá Foundation, recognized the joint work between institutions, scientists, and local communities to ensure the survival of the jaguar in the country. They also promote the installation of new signage and speed limits together with the responsible authority, with the aim that drivers respect the limits and drive cautiously on routes that cross or border wild areas. The jaguar is the largest feline in the Americas and is cataloged worldwide as an endangered species. Its conservation is essential for its ecological role as a top predator in tropical ecosystems. In Panama, through Resolution DM-0657-2023, it is formally declared as a protected and threatened species. Once at the clinic, specialists performed biometric measurements and took biological samples for subsequent scientific analysis, in order to collect as much information as possible about this specimen, whose discovery in such conditions is not common. It is presumed that the specimen came from Chagres National Park or Soberanía National Park, and that in its natural displacement it had to cross the highway, where it was unfortunately run over. Juan Carlos Navarro, Minister of the Environment, stated that "the run-over of this jaguar should be a wake-up call for the entire population about the necessary coexistence between development and nature. If we do not protect wildlife, we will be putting our own existence at risk. "Every individual counts. The feline, a juvenile specimen, was transferred to the MiAmbiente Wildlife Veterinary Clinic at 9:45 PM last night.
