Present distribution of the jaguar (Panthera onca) in Oaxaca, Mexico

There are only a few records for the jaguar (Panthera onca) in Oaxaca, hence it is considered to be a state with scarce knowledge on the species. This study presents an update regarding the geographic distribution of the species and generates a potential distribution model for the jaguar in the state. Data bases from national and international scientific collections and literature were reviewed and fieldwork was carried out. We obtained 31 records; 83.87 % from fieldwork and 16.13 % from literature and scientific collections. The selected records have a veracity class I, and they consist mainly in skulls and skins (48.39 %), and footprints and scats (25.81 %). Most of the records were located in the regions of Sierra Madre de Oaxaca (53.33%) and Sierra Madre del Sur de Oaxaca y Chiapas (13.33%), in the municipalities of Santiago Camotlan and Santa Maria Chimalapa respectively. The cloud forest was the vegetation type with the most records (30%); the majority of them were found near communal protected areas, which therefore represent an excellent conservation strategy. The potential distribution map of the species shows 5 major regions in the State with high presence probability. In these main regions, a population of approximately 610 jaguars is estimated for the Mexican State of Oaxaca.