In 2020, a huge wildfire struck the Brazilian Pantanal \u2013 the largest tropical wetland area in the world. Driven by extreme drought, high temperatures and human activities, the blaze cut through more than 44,515km\u00b2 of habitat and killed an estimated 17 million vertebrates.<\/p>\n
Yet, despite the devastation, a new study published in\u00a0Global Change Biology has found that, once the fire passed, something unexpected happened to one of the area’s apex predators<\/a>: the jaguar<\/a>. Researchers say that, rather than fleeing the fire, the big cats<\/a> instead migrated to the site.<\/p>\n The team (comprising researchers from Oregon State University and Brazil) believe the wetlands are acting as a climate refuge, helping wildlife survive increasingly frequent extreme weather events.<\/p>\n Watch: how the Pantanal is acting as a wildlife refuge for jaguars and other animals. Credit: Oregon State University<\/p>\n A climate refuge<\/p>\n The Pantanal, located in the south-west of Brazil, has the largest population density of jaguars in the world. The researchers \u2013 who have been studying the big cats at a 148.5km\u00b2 site in the north of the Brazilian Pantanal since 2014 \u2013 wanted to find out if the 2020 wildfire had caused any changes in their habitat use and numbers.<\/p>\n To do so, the team analysed video footage of jaguars and other mammals captured on field cameras they deployed before, during and after the wildfire. They also did a genetic analysis of 175 jaguar scats. <\/p>\n The footage showed a temporary drop in jaguar activity immediately after the fire, but numbers quickly rebounded. Within a year, new cubs had been born, and many new jaguars had joined the population. Resident jaguars were also seen frequently before and after the fire, suggesting they stayed and survived.<\/p>\n The study area, located in the northern Pantanal, is five hours from the nearest town and only accessible by boat. There are no roads or settlements, and the team works in tough conditions with biting insects and extreme humidity. Credit: Oregon State University<\/p>\n