First Capture of a Jaguar Using a Minimally Invasive Capture System for GPS Tracking in an Isolated Patch of Atlantic Forest in Southern Brazil

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Safe and efficient capture of animals is a fundamental aim when working with large predators. Here, we describe a new system for capturing large Neotropical felids. For the first time, a minimally invasive capture system was used to capture a jaguar and facilitate its posterior GPS tracking in a fragment of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. The jaguar was a 16-year-old adult male, who mainly moved over an area of 175 km(2) in protected areas. The GPS collar worked optimally, and it located the jaguar on 86% of expected occasions. Most locations were in native grassland, marsh, and dense lowland forest. Using a minimally invasive capture system is more efficient, selective, portable, and less risky for both animals and trappers, and causes less stress to animals compared to other capture methods used for the species. ABSTRACT: This study presents the first successful capture using GPS tagging of a jaguar (Panthera onca) using a minimally invasive capture system (MICS). We used snare-foot traps and a MICS during two capture campaigns in a fragment of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. The specimen disarmed snares on different occasions, and capture was only possible with the MICS. The captured jaguar, an estimated 16-year-old adult male, was monitored using a GPS Vertex Plus Iridium collar with an optimal performance of 86% in expected locations. The jaguar’s home range (659 km(2) by MPC and 174 km(2) by 95%K) was within the observed range for the species and the animal was primarily maintained in protected areas. The habitat types most frequently used were native grassland (27.2% of 4798 fixes), marsh (24.8%), and dense lowland forest (24.7%). The use of a MICS for trapping jaguars is a promising technique that shows advantages in terms of efficiency, selectivity, portability, reduced potential risk of injury to animals or trappers, and animal stress compared to other capture methods used for the species.