I admit, when I first saw the title of Nadia Drake‘s new story The Jaguar is Made for the Age of Humans, I had my doubts. To me this title sounded overconfident, like it masked the fact that jaguars (Panthera onca) are in decline. But when I read Ms. Drake’s new article in The Atlantic, I realized I had been wrong.
The Jaguar is Made for the Age of Humans is an excellent story. It largely concerns the author’s encounter with a jaguar in a remote region of Peru – so remote that the cat was not afraid of Ms. Drake or her companions. The jaguar was completely relaxed in their presence, although the same cannot be said for the humans!
Ms. Drake also writes in detail about the current state of jaguar conservation. She talks about the species’ adaptability, its evolutionary journey, and new estimates which claim that there are more jaguars than previously thought. Indeed, compared to much of its kin, Panthera onca is faring relatively well.
However, Ms. Drake is not unrealistically positive. She does mention that jaguars are in decline; listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. She also alerts readers to the growing trade in jaguar parts in the immensely destructive traditional Chinese medicine market. Jaguars in Bolivia are already being poached in large numbers to make useless concoctions, and it is only a matter of time before Chinese ‘medicinal’ poaching spreads to Peru.
All-in-all, The Jaguar is Made for the Age of Humans is a great read. I strongly suggest you follow the link below for the original story.
That sounds fascinating! I’ve been hankering to read some non-fiction lately. I’ll definitely check that story out – thanks for providing the link!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s both fascinating and informative! Non-fiction’s sort of my thing, in case you haven’t noticed yet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And fiction’ s mine. But it’s always refreshing to branch out with my reading!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed! I used to be all about fiction when I was younger, but now have to prioritize my reading time much more carefully.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally get it – especially if you’re working on your master’s!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tell people I’m working on my master’s, but most of my attention is focused on my blog ;)
LikeLiked by 1 person