On the Expedition
Uncover the secrets of Brazil’s elusive jaguars to help protect them in the stunning cerrado landscape of Emas National Park, part of the world’s most biologically-diverse savanna ecosystem.
You will use 4x4 trucks to explore this world-class park, home to 55 species of mammals, 60 species of reptiles, and more than 370 species of birds. Your team will work with the Jaguar Conservation Fund to radio-track previously-collared jaguars and record the signal locations to discover jaguars’ habits and needs. You’ll conduct a small-mammal census to identify prey populations and, with the help of trained dogs, you’ll search for, collect, and analyze jaguar scat and jaguar kills to determine prey abundance and jaguar diet. (Volunteers who are uncomfortable working closely with dogs can generally be assigned to other tasks, but should be aware that dogs will often be present. Volunteers who enjoy working with dogs can help care for them in the kennel operations.)
In the very rare event that you see a jaguar in the wild or that one is live-captured during your expedition, you’ll conduct behavioral observations, but would not be handling the animal. You will also assist with jaguar camera-trapping, potentially some image analysis, data input, and data processing. In your recreational time, you can enjoy swimming and bird watching in the unique cerrado environment.
Meals and Accommodations
Your team will share a comfortable house with four bedrooms and a full bath, bordering Emas National Park. The house has hot showers, flush toilets, electricity, a full kitchen, and other amenities such as laundry and bar service. Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are provided at the house by a local cook. Meals will feature Brazilian favorites, including rice, beans, beef, chicken, salads, and vegetables. Snacks and fruits will also be available.
About the Research Area
Emas National Park is part of the Pantanal’s Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO Human Heritage Reserve, and is situated in central Brazil in the extreme southwest of Goiás state. The park contains large tracts of grassland plains, small patches of shrub fields, marshes, and riparian forest grassland.
With 132,000 hectares, it is one of the country’s largest Cerrado National Parks and probably the last to protect relevant resident populations of grassland jaguars, pumas, maned wolves, bush dogs and hoary-foxes in this biome. At least 13 endangered mammal species are found in the park, which is considered to be one of the best sites for observing large Cerrado fauna. The area is in the range of 17 carnivore species, of which eight are listed as endangered.
The park is also one of the best places to spot fruit-eating vertebrates such as the tapir and many birds, including toco toucans and rheas. To be in the home of the ostrich-like rheas, scarlet macaws, pampas deer, giant armadillos, herds of peccaries, giant anteaters, foxes, tapirs, jaguars, and other unique—but often elusive—creatures will be an unforgettable experience.