An exploratory analysis of stakeholders and their influence on human–Jaguar conflict in Guyana

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cattle farmer–jaguar conflict receives the greatest attention in Latin America’s human–wild cat interactions discourse. Yet, other economic activities in the region, such as gold mining, threaten jaguar survivability and receive little attention. Working in Guyana, where economic activities beyond cattle farming predispose conflict, this research note identifies stakeholders and describes how their activities trigger conflict and its spatial distribution. This research note provides insights into how various stakeholders trigger human–jaguar conflict, and places particular attention on contrasting the roles of cattle farmers and gold miners in human–jaguar conflict. Data were obtained through interviews with 85 people engaged in seven economic activities in Guyana. The analyses showed that cattle farmer–jaguar conflict is clustered and predictable across space, whereas gold miner–jaguar conflict is dispersed and unpredicatable across space. Gold miner–jaguar conflict circumstances provide insights into conflict beyond cattle farmers and suggest that conflict resolution measures need to be stakeholder-specific.