{"id":823612,"date":"2025-02-01T11:12:18","date_gmt":"2025-02-01T17:12:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/01\/a-deadly-parasite-turns-jaguar-conservation-into-a-human-health-priority\/"},"modified":"2025-02-01T11:12:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T17:12:18","slug":"a-deadly-parasite-turns-jaguar-conservation-into-a-human-health-priority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/01\/a-deadly-parasite-turns-jaguar-conservation-into-a-human-health-priority\/","title":{"rendered":"A deadly parasite turns jaguar conservation into a human health priority"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<article id=\"post-292539\">\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Analysis of jaguar droppings in Brazil\u2019s Pantanal wetlands have uncovered the presence of Spirometra tapeworms, a parasite with significant ecological and public health implications that can be dangerous to people in its larval form.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Pantanal ranchers typically see jaguars as pests because they prey on livestock; however, conservationists aim to reframe these big cats as allies in ecological balance, as they control parasite-carrying prey and serve as vital bioindicators of the biome\u2019s health.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>The underreporting of parasitical infections in humans caused by Spirometra reveals a gap in public health awareness in Brazil, making the discovery of the parasite in jaguars a key breakthrough toward protecting communities.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Educational workshops and practical measures, such as electric fencing, have significantly reduced jaguar-livestock conflicts while improving community practices and promoting coexistence between humans and the big cats.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>In Brazil\u2019s Pantanal, the world\u2019s largest tropical wetland, Paul Raad crouched in the undergrowth, scanning the ground for signs of jaguar activity. He wasn\u2019t looking for the big cats themselves; instead, the veterinarian from S\u00e3o Paulo State University (UNESP) was searching for fresh jaguar feces. Spotting a recent sample, Raad carefully collected it, stored it in a sterile container, and sent it to a lab to be analyzed. It was one sample of dozens that he\u2019s collected since 2022.<\/p>\n<p>The team of technicians at the wildlife postgraduate program at UNESP made a surprising discovery in the jaguar scat: the presence of the tapeworm genus <em>Spirometra<\/em>. While <em>Spirometra<\/em> have been widely documented in scat from wildlife in Asia and Europe, this marked their first detection in jaguar droppings in the Pantanal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe found it in many fecal samples. [This tapeworm] wasn\u2019t even the main target of the study, but it stood out so much \u2014 screaming, \u2018Look, I\u2019m here\u2019 \u2014 that we ended up prioritizing it,\u201d Felipe Fornazari, a UNESP professor and supervisor of Raad\u2019s master\u2019s research, told Mongabay.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_292542\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/12\/30161945\/Paul-with-a-tapeworm-Eduardo-Rossi-768x512.jpg\" alt width=\"768\" height=\"512\"  ><figcaption><em>Paul Raad examines a Spirometra spp. tapeworm collected from the feces of a jaguar from the Brazilian Pantanal. Image \u00a9 Eduardo Rossi\/UNESP.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It was an important discovery. Although parasites evoke negative connotations, researchers see them playing a key role in jaguar conservation. Jaguar populations are at risk from retaliatory killings by farmers, who see them as pests endangering livestock, especially in the Brazilian Pantanal, where about 90% of the land is privately owned by cattle ranchers.<\/p>\n<p>Yet jaguars are vital for sustaining healthy ecosystems \u2014 and surprisingly this tapeworm parasite may help highlight this importance. Adult <em>Spirometra<\/em> live harmlessly in jaguars and pose no danger to humans. However, in their larval stage \u2014 found in feral hogs (both prey for jaguars and a food source for people living in the Pantanal), other animals and water sources \u2014 they can cause sparganosis, a severe infection in humans that can invade the eyes, brain or other body parts, sometimes proving fatal. By preying on hogs, jaguars help curb the spread of this dangerous parasite. They also offer researchers a window into the region\u2019s environmental health and parasitic risks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you wouldn\u2019t have jaguars, who would eat the feral hogs and other larvae carriers?\u201d Raad, whose research was completed in December 2024 but hasn\u2019t been published yet, told Mongabay. \u201cJaguars are saving lives. They are being a bioindicator, telling humans that this parasite is here and can affect them too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Conservationists are using this evidence to reframe jaguars as essential allies in ecological balance and public health. Since October, Raad, in partnership with local ranch syndicates and wildlife conservation NGOs WWF and Ampara Silvestre, has organized five workshops across the Pantanal to promote coexistence with jaguars. At the Pousada Piuval eco-lodge and cattle ranching property, a key spot for his research, he\u2019s given lectures highlighting the benefits of jaguar conservation and practical strategies to protect cattle from predation. These sessions also educate locals on safe water practices from natural resources, a common source for the local drink known as <em>terere<\/em>, and proper preparation of bushmeat, such as feral hogs, to mitigate the risk of sparganosis.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_292543\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/12\/30162036\/UNESP-ovos-spirometra-768x512.png\" alt width=\"768\" height=\"512\"  ><figcaption><em>The eggs of Spirometra spp. hatch into larvae that inhabit feral hogs, reptiles, and natural water sources, posing a risk of infection to humans who come into contact with them. Image courtesy of UNESP.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In addition to supporting jaguar conservation and community well-being, the research helps build trust with local populations by demonstrating that scientists are there to help them, rather than simply visiting these biomes for academic or career pursuits, Raad said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want this product of research to be useful not only for me and the university but also for the community,\u201d he said. \u201cJaguars are saving lives, and through this work, we\u2019re saving jaguars too.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Studying parasites<\/h3>\n<p>Parasites play an important role in conservation, providing key insights into their hosts (such as jaguars) and ecosystems (such as the Pantanal). For example, analyzing parasitic infections can help scientists gauge the size and health of animal populations, assess habitat quality, and determine the level of connectivity between animal groups in a particular region.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOverexploitation, habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, and climate change are major threats to animal conservation, and all of these can be informed by parasites,\u201d a <a href=\"https:\/\/conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1111\/cobi.13719\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">2021 study<\/a> published in the journal<em> Conservation Biology<\/em> reads. \u201cResearch on parasites can also augment knowledge of the primary host and thereby potentially inform conservation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For his tapeworm study, Raad worked with teams from the zoonoses and genetics departments at UNESP, led by Felipe Fornazari and Ligia Silveira da Mota, respectively, and the pathology department at the Federal University of Mato Grosso, led by Richard Pacheco. They analyzed dozens of jaguar fecal samples from Pocon\u00e9 municipality in the north of the Pantanal, including the Pousada Piuval ranch, by extracting the DNA of the tapeworm from the feces. Most tested positive for the parasite. While the exact number of jaguars represented by these samples remains uncertain, Fornazari estimated it to be around eight \u2014 a compelling finding that underscores the need for further research, as well as highlighting jaguars\u2019 crucial role in the ecosystem and the importance of adopting better health practices for communities in the wetlands.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_292544\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/12\/30162110\/Collecting-jaguar-feces-768x512.jpg\" alt width=\"768\" height=\"512\"  ><figcaption><em>Paul Raad, a veterinarian from S\u00e3o Paulo State University, collected numerous jaguar fecal samples in the Brazilian Pantanal from 2022 to 2024. Image \u00a9 Paul Raad.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt is a study that is being carried out with an important species \u2014 the jaguar \u2014 in a very important region where the environment and livestock intersect,\u201d Fornazari said. \u201cThis parasite hasn\u2019t been studied much in Brazil. We know it can cause diseases in domestic animals, wild animals and people, and this could be happening in Brazil but we\u2019re not detecting it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Spirometra<\/em> tapeworms have a complex life cycle, closely tied to aquatic environments like the Pantanal\u2019s floodplains. Its larval stages infect crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, eventually maturing in definitive hosts such as jaguars. Cases of sparganosis, caused by consuming undercooked infected meat or contaminated water, are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0001706X11000696\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">mostly found<\/a> in East and Southeast Asia. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scielo.br\/j\/rimtsp\/a\/qm4nD8gHtkPzNJtDm6NMKHF\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">2011 study<\/a> identified three cases in Brazil, including one case where the patient had <em>Spirometra<\/em> larvae in her eye.<\/p>\n<p>The low number of sparganosis reports in Brazil may indicate underreporting rather than a lack of infections, Fornazari suggested. \u201cIn remote areas with limited health services, many cases of disease go unreported,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The relationship between the environment, the parasite, the jaguar and the local community can be explained by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/health-topics\/one-health#tab=tab_1\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">One Health paradigm<\/a>, a concept developed by the World Health Organization, according to Raad. One Health recognizes that the health of people, animals and the environment are all closely connected, and when one of these areas has problems, it can affect others.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe cannot discuss human health without considering animal health, and we cannot address animal and human health without acknowledging the health of the environment,\u201d Raad said.<\/p>\n<h3>Minimizing jaguar-human conflict<\/h3>\n<p>Educating the local community about jaguars as bioindicators is part of broader efforts to protect these big cats and mitigate human-jaguar conflicts. At Pousada Piuval, Raad has worked with jaguar expert Rafael Hoogesteijn and the Ampara Institute on an electric fencing project to prevent jaguars from preying on calves. The 7,000-hectare (17,300-acre) ranch, home to 2,200 head of cattle with an annual birth rate of 1,000 calves, has demonstrated significant reductions in calf predation through these interventions.<\/p>\n<p>Ranchers identify pregnant cows nearing calving and move them to designated maternity areas where electric corrals provide overnight protection from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m., the jaguars\u2019 peak hunting hours. In 2022, there were 20 attacks. This declined to four in 2024, with no attacks at all within the electric fencing area. That means the project has so far been 100% effective in preventing jaguar attacks on calves and cattle within the fenced areas, and 80% successful overall in reducing attacks.<\/p>\n<p>The project has reduced calf losses from 30 in 2022 to just one in 2024. Camera traps have also captured footage of a young jaguar receiving a mild shock from the fence and learning to avoid it on subsequent visits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJaguars learn quickly,\u201d Raad said. \u201cWhen they encounter fencing, they associate cows with a negative experience and avoid them in the future. We cannot confirm that they will never hunt again, but we can say that we have reduced the chances of them attacking the cattle.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_292545\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/12\/30162148\/Fecal-samples-EDUARDO-ROSSI-768x512.png\" alt width=\"768\" height=\"512\"><figcaption><em>Evidence of the Spirometra spp. tapeworm in a jaguar fecal sample that was studied at UNESP in collaboration with the Federal University of Mato Grosso. Image \u00a9 Eduardo Rossi\/UNESP.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cPiuval has become a school for ranchers and a school for jaguars on how to hunt without going after cattle,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>The project has provided additional benefits to farmers by facilitating essential herd management, according to Eduardo\u00a0Eubank, owner of the Pousada\u00a0Piuval\u00a0ranch. \u201cThis has improved herd care,\u201d he told Mongabay. \u201cIn addition to enclosing the calves, the cowboys register births and ensure all health protocols are met.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Junior Lozano, a veterinarian overseeing livestock at Pousada Piuval, said electric fencing is essential for sustainable cattle farming in the Pantanal. \u201cI think this is the future for us here,\u201d he told Mongabay. \u201cPeople need to trust in this project \u2014 it\u2019s the only viable way forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The next step, he said, is to build larger electric enclosures to continue protecting young calves once they leave the maternity pen after two weeks post-birth to graze in the pastures.<\/p>\n<p>The initiatives to save jaguars illustrate the far-reaching benefits that the conservation of a single species can bring, Raad said. \u201cThis electric fencing project and the parasite discovery have shown that protecting jaguars leads to healthier ecosystems and communities,\u201d he said. \u201cNow, we need to replicate these successes on a larger scale.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Banner image<\/strong>: Studying faecal samples and putting up electric fences are part of a large conservation project to protect the Pantanal\u2019s jaguars as well as help the local community. Image \u00a9 Paul Raad.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Citations:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gagne, R. B., Crooks, K. R., Craft, M. E., Chiu, E. S., Fountain-Jones, N. M., Malmberg, J. L., \u2026 VandeWoude, S. (2021). Parasites as conservation tools. <em>Conservation Biology<\/em>, <em>36<\/em>(1). doi:<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/cobi.13719\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">10.1111\/cobi.13719<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Anantaphruti,\u00a0M.\u00a0T., Nawa,\u00a0Y., &#038; Vanvanitchai,\u00a0Y. (2011). Human sparganosis in Thailand: An overview.\u00a0<em>Acta Tropica<\/em>,\u00a0<em>118<\/em>(3), 171-176. doi:<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.actatropica.2011.03.011\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">10.1016\/j.actatropica.2011.03.011<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Mentz, M. B., Procianoy, F. Maestri, M. K., &#038; Rott, M. B. (2010). Human ocular sparganosis in southern Brazil. <em>Revista\u00a0do\u00a0Instituto\u00a0de\u00a0Medicina Tropical\u00a0de\u00a0S\u00e3o Paulo<\/em>, <em>53<\/em>(1). doi:<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1590\/S0036-46652011000100009\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">10.1590\/S0036-46652011000100009<\/a><\/p>\n<p>FEEDBACK: <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSc1UErpNSJhNbg2RpCnwRp5xJDRjjgreKOG2J2cGaxtb9IaBQ\/viewform\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Use this\u00a0form\u00a0<\/a>to send a message to the author of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page.<\/p>\n<div id=\"single-article-footer\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<h4>Credits  <\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><img alt src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a3591ee10d19a819c20a3ea73bff4089?s=32&#038;d=identicon&#038;r=g\"  height=\"32\" width=\"32\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\">        <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"single-article-tags\">\n<h4>Topics<\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>                            <span><a href data-wpel-link=\"internal\"><\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2024\/12\/a-deadly-parasite-turns-jaguar-conservation-into-a-human-health-priority\/\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Analysis of jaguar droppings in Brazil\u2019s Pantanal wetlands have uncovered the presence of Spirometra tapeworms, a parasite with significant ecological and public health implications that can be dangerous to people in its larval form. Pantanal ranchers typically see jaguars as pests because they prey on livestock; however, conservationists aim to reframe these big cats as<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":823613,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22533,3725],"tags":[9147,19702],"class_list":{"0":"post-823612","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-deadly","8":"category-parasite","9":"tag-deadly","10":"tag-parasite"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823612","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=823612"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823612\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/823613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=823612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=823612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=823612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}