A few months back I was asked to come along as a photographer to the Northern Part of MExico with Panthera's Mexico Program Director Diana Friedeberg, Panthera's Jaguar Director Dr. Howard Quigley and Panthera's CEO Dr. Alan Rabinowitz.

The Journey of the Jaguar was only starting and my mission was to document all the incredible work this scientists are acomplishing.

we spent the night at The Meseta de Cacaxtla hoping to see a jaguar. 

the little tree house appeared to be almost floating, the tree branches were barely touching it. 

As we climbed the tree I asked the forest for permission to enter, a ritual that I thought would invite the jaguars to get closer.

We played a native jaguar caller, making a similar sound to the natural jaguar growl.

all night waiting until we heard a growl, very close to our tree, and later on we heard a second one.

this was an incredible gift

Between Tepic and the Sierra de Vallejo Reserve, we visited a community forest and brought the representatives of five ejidos together with Juan José, the local director of CONANP, Mexico’s protected area and endangered species authority. They’re urging the federal government to give them official protected area status in hopes of unlocking funds for more research and security measures on their lands.

 

- Howard Quigley