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Introduction Group Brainstorm Share and Sort Assign Points Draft Your Plan

Group Brainstorm
step1 Form Research Groups
Main idea of this step:
Your class will break into smaller groups and get study materials. Each one of you in each group will spend time on your own reading the materials and thinking about the special issues and concerns facing one particular aspect of jaguar conservation work.
Break into small groups of three or four people each. Each group should choose one of the research reports shown below and print out copies of the background report.

(If your class size is small and not all topics are taken, that's ok. If your class is large and more than one group takes the same topic, that's ok.)

Read your reports and consider all the threats that jaguar face in the research area.


Look at the Jaguar Geographic Region map and identify the geographic region of your research report.

1. Cockscomb Basin, Belize
Monitoring jaguars in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize, C.A., Scott Silver and Linde Ostro.

2. Western Belize
Jaguar and prey monitoring in western Belize, C.A., Marcella Kelly.

3. Belize-Conflicts in Central America
Exploring human-jaguar conflict in Belize: Towards a possible model for Central America. 2002-Present.

4. Gran Chaco National Park, Bolivia
Jaguar monitoring in Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park. 2003-Present. Andrew Noss and Damian Rumiz.

5. Panatanal, Brazil (Livestock Issues)
Livestock depredation by jaguars and pumas in southern Pantanal: Examination of predisposing factors and alternative control measures.

6. Pantanal, Brazil (Rancher Outreach)
Rancher Outreach Program. Almira Hoogesteyn.

7. Brazil, Amazon Reserves
Jaguar reconnaissance survey in Mamirauá and Amanã Sustainable Development Reserves, July-August 1999. Cheryl Chetkiewicz and Gleb Raygorodetsky.

8. Guatemala
Impacts of subsistence hunting upon jaguar and puma in the Maya Biosphere Reserve. 2001-2003. Anthony Novack.

9. Mexico/U.S. Borderlands
Mexico/U.S.:Borderlands jaguar detection project. 2001-Present. Jack Childs.

Does everyone have a report to read? If so, move on to Step 2.


step2 Brainstorm
Now that you are each, as individuals, familiar with a particular research report, you should meet with other members of your same group. Take some time -- you might decide how much with your teacher -- to talk about your key areas of concern.

Muster as much scientific research as possible to show why a particular type of conservation effort should be undertaken. But also try to think freely. Conservation science is a creative process -- sometimes it's the unusual ideas that generate results.

As a group, make one list of threats jaguars in your study area face. Make a matching list of responses to those threats. From that list, build a plan to conserve the jaguar.

Your plan should address the following areas:

  • Local threats to jaguar
  • Types of educational efforts that could help jaguar in your area
  • Types of laws that could be better enforced to help jaguar
  • New laws that could be passed to help the jaguar
  • Areas where basic jaguar research is needed
  • Habitat concerns
  • Jaguar health concerns
  • Funding needs
  • Special urgency or time frame

    • End this step by nominating someone -- or two or three people -- from your team to present your plan to the other two groups.


      Why do you think it is a good idea that real conservation biologists get together to brainstorm ideas about their own specialized research? How did becoming an “expert” on a few issues help you to contribute new ideas to your group’s brainstorm session?  


    		 

    DO YOU KNOW...
    Why break into different groups?
     

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