Jaguar spotted in Honduras after a decade-long absence.

A camera trap in Honduras' Sierra del Merendón captured a young male cloud jaguar at more than 2,000 meters after the species had not been seen there for over ten years; conservation and reforestation efforts are reported to have helped restore habitat.

A camera trap in Honduras' Sierra del Merendón recently captured a brief image of a young male cloud jaguar at more than 2,000 meters above sea level. The species had not been seen in the country for over a decade, and the sighting was reported to CNN. Local conservation efforts, including increased patrols, wildlife monitoring, reforestation programs, and the reported deployment of military units to counter illegal logging, are credited with improving habitat in the area. Reported details: - A camera trap recorded a young male cloud jaguar in the Sierra del Merendón at over 2,000 meters; the species had been absent from confirmed records in Honduras for more than ten years. - CNN and conservationists reported that recent measures include anti-poaching patrols, wildlife monitoring, species restoration programs for deer and peccaries, and reforestation efforts. - Experts told CNN that the animal is likely to move through a wildlife corridor toward Guatemala as it searches for a mate. - Honduras lost about 19 percent of forest cover between 2001 and 2024, a reported factor in past jaguar declines. Summary: Conservationists and officials view the sighting as a sign of habitat recovery in the Merendón range. Experts expect the young male to travel along a wildlife corridor into neighboring Guatemala as it seeks a mate. Undetermined at this time.