A male jaguar has made an unprecedented 2100km journey across the Amazon rainforest, expanding our knowledge of these big cats' capabilities.
Key facts
- •A male jaguar has made a 2100km journey across the Amazon rainforest.
- •The previous dispersal record for a tagged jaguar was about 60 to 100 kilometres.
- •Gaspar travelled 2122 kilometres until his collar stopped transmitting locations.
- •The actual distance is probably much more due to the route taken.
- •Gaspar crossed through heavily modified human landscapes, such as farms and ranches.
A male jaguar has made a record-breaking 2100km journey across the southern edge of the Amazon rainforest, crossing highways, farms, and ranches. The journey expands our knowledge of what these big cats are capable of.
By the numbers
Jaguar Tracking
Researchers at University College Dublin in Ireland have been tracking jaguars in Brazil via GPS collars as part of a larger ongoing project that started in 1999. They captured the male jaguar, dubbed Gaspar, and fitted him with a collar on 11 November 2024. Gaspar spent some time in his established range before setting out on a massive southward trek, skirting the border of the Amazon to inland Cerrado.
Journey Details
The researchers recorded that Gaspar travelled 2122 kilometres until his collar stopped transmitting locations in late November 2025. The actual distance is probably much more, according to Jon Morant. While Gaspar mostly stuck to forested areas, he also crossed through heavily modified human landscapes, such as farms, ranches, and roads.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by New Scientist.
