Two Months in Jaguar Country

Natalie Bever is Panthera’s 2025 Winston Cobb Memorial Fellow. Established by Ramune Cobb, the fellowship honors the memory of a dearly loved domestic cat, Winston Cobb, to bring attention to the plight of his imperiled wild relatives around the world and to further conservation efforts on their behalf by fostering the professional growth of early career cat conservationists.  

The fellowship supports exceptional early career conservationists in undertaking a field-based internship to gain training and field skills necessary for the conservation of wild cats.  

A master’s student studying environment and development at University College London, Bever spent two months conducting her dissertation research alongside Panthera Brazil staff members in the Pantanal. The world’s largest tropical wetland, the Pantanal spans parts of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. It’s known for its incredible biodiversity and is one of the best places on Earth to see jaguars in the wild.

Bever’s research focused on how jaguar habituation influences the livelihoods and daily practices of riverine communities in Porto Jofre, Brazil in the Pantanal. She conducted 27 interviews with local community members to understand how jaguar presence and behavior shape human experiences in the region. Her goal for the research is to identify coexistence strategies that support jaguar conservation while honoring the perspectives and needs of local communities. Read on for a first-hand account about her experience and how the fellowship will help shape the next steps in her conservation career.  

As an Environmental MSc student at University College London, I spent two months in Porto Jofre, Brazil, conducting fieldwork in the world’s largest tropical wetland, the Pantanal. The Pantanal is one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems and a critical habitat for jaguars. Supported by the Winston Cobb Memorial Fellowship through Panthera, my research explored human-wildlife conflicts, a rising dilemma occurring all over the globe. Specifically, my fieldwork examined how jaguar habituation, driven by ecotourism, affects the livelihoods of the local riverine communities in Porto Jofre. I was stationed at Panthera’s research site just outside the community where I conducted interviews, participatory mapping, and observational fieldwork. I often joined river excursions to locate jaguars and understand their spatial movements along the riverbank. This experience deepened my understanding of the delicate balance between conservation and community and aligned closely with Panthera’s mission to ensure a future for wild cats while supporting the people who share their landscapes. 

Initially, I imagined my dissertation would focus on human-wildlife conflict in Arctic climates. But after taking a class taught by my eventual advisor, I was introduced to the Pantanal, an ecologically rich wetland brimming with life and home to a fierce feline: the jaguar. I was immediately captivated by the region’s complexity and the unique conservation challenges it presents. I knew it would be a perfect setting for my research. 

I applied for the Winston Cobb Memorial Fellowship to support my fieldwork, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity. It not only helped me grow as a conservationist but also allowed me to develop new skills in environmental anthropology. As a wildlife biologist, I entered the field eager to learn ethnographic methods, conduct interviews, and understand the human dimensions of conservation.  

From the start, I was welcomed by a close-knit community of riverine residents who care deeply about jaguars and the Pantanal. Their openness and generosity shaped my experience in profound ways.  

Memorable Moments in the Field 

Fieldwork in the Pantanal offered unforgettable moments that revealed the deep connection between people and wildlife. 

One day, I encountered a dog on the road that locals were well aware of. He bore a visible scar on his skull from a jaguar attack that he survived, and his story was well known throughout the community. 

On another day, while riding an ATV with my translator to conduct interviews, a jaguar emerged from the bushes and walked calmly across the road just ten feet in front of us. I knew from my research that jaguars in this region were becoming bolder around humans, but witnessing one so close, unfazed and uninterested in us, was astonishing.  

One of my favorite memories was horseback riding with a neighbor who had been ranching his whole life. I helped him move horses to the next ranch, and for a moment, I felt less like a researcher and more like a friend, welcomed into the rhythms of their daily life. 

Remote Research Comes with Challenges

Living and working in such a remote location came with its own set of challenges. The nearest hospital was about two hours away, so I had to be constantly mindful of safety. While assisting with camera trap surveys along the river, I accidentally disturbed a beehive and was stung multiple times, a reminder of how unforgiving the landscape can be. 

Logistically, conducting interviews was also challenging. Many participants could only be reached by boat or car, and transportation was not always available. Additionally, my translator and I had to learn together how to conduct interviews with real-time translation. This required patience and creativity to preserve the natural flow of the conversation.  

Growing as a Researcher and a Person 

This experience pushed me to grow as a researcher and as a person. I adapted to an environment completely different from my own and learned how to balance ecological conservation with the social dimensions of community life. I gained hands-on experience in environmental anthropology and saw firsthand how vital local participation is to successful conservation initiatives. The voices, knowledge, and lived experiences of riverine communities are not just valuable; they are essential to shaping conservation biology that is inclusive, ethical and effective. 

This experience has profoundly shaped my goals as a researcher, reinforcing the importance of community participation and the value of bottom-up approaches in conservation. Moving forward, I plan to continue contributing to the fields of environmental anthropology and conservation governance by expanding the literature of human-wildlife conflict, particularly in relation to wild felines. I aim to center the social dimensions of conservation, honoring local voices and knowledge, and helping build a future rooted in human-wildlife coexistence.  

Panthera is devoted to the conservation of the world’s 40 species of wild cats and the vast ecosystems they inhabit – both for today and for generations to come. By helping train a new generation of bright conservationists, we help ensure a brighter future for wild cats. Learn more about the Winston Cobb Memorial Fellowship, including how to apply, and how Panthera is working to protect jaguars in the Pantanal and beyond.