Second jaguar found dead, shot to death

Tulum, Q.R. — A male jaguar has been found shot to death in the municipality of Tulum.

On Thursday, members from the Sinai ranch in the municipality of Tulum found the lifeless animal. The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) confirmed that the feline died after being shot eight times.

Profepa delegate for Quintana Roo, Javier Castro Jiménez, confirmed that the deceased jaguar was an adult male about 3 years old and in his reproductive stage. The body of the jaguar was taken to Akumal for an autopsy that confirmed he had been shot numerous times in his body, the fatal shot being in the head.

This is the second jaguar death in as many months. In February, a female jaguar was found deceased on the side of the road after being hit by a car and left. Castro Jiménez said that PROFEPA will report the case to the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) since it is a federal crime to shoot and kill an endangered species.

According to the Federal Criminal Code, a person found guilty of unlawfully damaging, trafficking, possessing, collecting, introducing or extracting an endangered species from the country can face a prison sentence of between one and nine years.

Earlier this month, the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas announced that Mexico plans to create a tri-national reserve with Belize and Guatemala to protect the jaguar.