Overcrowding threatens sustainability of jaguar ecotourism in Brazil’s Pantanal – Mongabay

Report on Ecotourism and Jaguar Conservation in the Brazilian Pantanal: A Sustainable Development Goals Perspective

1.0 Introduction: Ecotourism as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development

The Brazilian Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland, has become a focal point for ecotourism centered on jaguar observation. This economic activity has been instrumental in advancing key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Initially, jaguar populations were threatened by conflict with local ranchers, undermining SDG 15 (Life on Land). The growth of ecotourism over the past decade has provided alternative livelihoods, contributing to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and fostering local support for conservation, which has led to a significant rebound in the jaguar population.

2.0 Analysis of Unsustainable Tourism Practices and SDG Conflicts

Despite initial successes, the current model of jaguar tourism in the Pantanal exhibits signs of unsustainability, creating conflicts with multiple SDGs. The high volume of tourist activity is generating negative externalities that threaten the long-term viability of both the ecosystem and the local economy.

2.1 Key Challenges to Sustainability

• Ecological Disruption (SDG 15): Anecdotal evidence suggests that overcrowding, with reports of over 30 tourist boats surrounding a single jaguar, is causing significant stress to the animals. This pressure is reportedly disrupting natural behaviors such as hunting and mating, directly compromising conservation targets within SDG 15.
• Threats to Community Well-being (SDG 11): As jaguars become increasingly habituated to human presence, they venture closer to local communities. This has elevated the risk of human-wildlife conflict, exemplified by a fatal attack on a resident in April 2025. Such incidents threaten human safety and risk reviving retaliatory killings, undermining the goal of creating safe and sustainable communities.
• Irresponsible Consumption Patterns (SDG 12): The current tourism model is characterized by overcrowding and aggressive practices. This pattern of irresponsible consumption risks degrading the natural habitat and could lead to the displacement of local populations, mirroring negative outcomes in other global wildlife hotspots and failing the principles of sustainable tourism outlined in SDG 12.

3.0 Quantitative Data on Jaguar Habituation and Tourism Intensity

The increase in tourism corresponds directly with a rise in the number of jaguars accustomed to human presence. This habituation is a key factor in the escalating human-wildlife conflict and ecological pressure.

1. Jaguar Habituation Growth: Data from the Jaguar ID Project in Porto Jofre indicates that the number of jaguars habituated to humans increased from 29 in 2013 to 130 in 2023, a rise of over 400%.
2. Increased Sighting Frequency: At Caiman Lodge, jaguar sightings increased from approximately three per year in 2009 to over 1,000 annually in recent years, demonstrating the intensity of tourist-wildlife interactions.

4.0 Conclusion: The Risk of Unsustainable Success and Recommendations

The Pantanal’s ecotourism sector is at risk of becoming a “victim of its own success.” The economic benefits aligned with SDG 8 are now threatened by practices that undermine SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Without intervention, the tourism model could collapse, reversing conservation gains and damaging the local economy.

4.1 Path Forward: Aligning with the 2030 Agenda

To ensure the long-term sustainability of the region, a new management framework is required. This framework must be built on multi-stakeholder collaboration as envisioned in SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• Develop and enforce regulations to manage tourist density and boat proximity to wildlife, thereby protecting ecological integrity (SDG 15).
• Implement benefit-sharing mechanisms to ensure local communities are primary beneficiaries of tourism revenue, strengthening community support for conservation (SDG 8, SDG 11).
• Promote sustainable tourism practices among operators and visitors to transition towards a responsible consumption model that safeguards the Pantanal’s natural capital for future generations (SDG 12).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The article discusses the growth of ecotourism as a local industry, shifting the economy away from cattle ranching.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – The focus is on sustainable tourism, highlighting the negative impacts of overcrowding and the need for responsible management of tourism activities.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – The core theme is the conservation of jaguars and their habitat, the Pantanal wetland, and the complex relationship between human activities and wildlife preservation.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 8.9: “By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.”

  The article directly addresses this by describing the boom in jaguar-focused ecotourism in the Pantanal. This industry has provided an alternative livelihood to cattle ranching, which previously led to the killing of jaguars. However, it also warns that this tourism is becoming unsustainable (“overcrowding is definitely becoming an issue”), indicating the urgent need for better policies and implementation to ensure its long-term viability.

• Target 12.b: “Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism…”

  The article implies a need for this target by highlighting the lack of long-term data on the effects of tourism on jaguars. An expert is quoted saying, “We don’t have long-term data yet, only anecdotal evidence, but it’s important to act before damage is done.” This points to the necessity of monitoring tools to measure impacts like animal stress and habitat degradation before the tourism model collapses.

• Target 15.5: “Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and… protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.”

  This target is central to the article. The initial success of ecotourism helped the jaguar population rebound, directly contributing to halting biodiversity loss. However, the new threat of “overcrowding” from tourist boats is causing stress on the animals (“jaguars don’t hunt or mate because there are too many boats around them”), which could lead to habitat degradation and negatively impact the species’ long-term survival.

• Target 15.7: “Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species…”

  While not about poaching for trade, this target is relevant in the context of ending the killing of a protected species. The article explains that jaguar numbers previously “dwindled as local ranchers often killed the predators to protect cattle.” The rise of ecotourism provided an economic incentive to stop these killings. The warning that recent human-wildlife conflict “may revive the practice of retaliatory killings” underscores the ongoing need for action to protect the species from being killed by humans.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Jaguar Population and Sighting Data: The article provides concrete numbers that serve as indicators of conservation success. For example, “the number of jaguars habituated to humans has risen from 29 in 2013 to 130 in 2023,” and sightings at one lodge “rose from around three jaguars a year in 2009 to more than 1,000 sightings each year.” These metrics can be used to track the health of the jaguar population.
• Tourism Density: The article mentions that “more than 30 boats, each with camera-toting tourists, can crowd around a single jaguar.” The number of boats per jaguar sighting is a direct indicator of tourism pressure and can be used to monitor whether tourism levels are sustainable.
• Changes in Animal Behavior: The anecdotal evidence that “jaguars don’t hunt or mate because there are too many boats around them” is a critical qualitative indicator. Systematic observation of jaguar behavior (hunting, mating, resting) in the presence of tourists could be developed into a formal indicator to measure the stress level and behavioral impact of tourism.
• Incidents of Human-Wildlife Conflict: The article reports a fatal incident where “a jaguar killed a 60-year-old local man” and warns of potential “retaliatory killings.” The frequency and nature of such incidents are direct indicators of the success or failure of managing the human-wildlife interface, which is crucial for the long-term conservation of the species.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: news.mongabay.com