A jaguar has been spotted in Rio de Janeiro for the first time in five decades. The animal was recorded in Serra da Concórdia State Park, in Valença, a city about 220 km from the state capital.
According to the state environmental agency, jaguars hadn’t been seen in the region since the 1970s. Researchers attribute their disappearance to urban expansion into forested areas.
Fifty years later, the jaguar spotted is an adult male. The state government credits the sighting to the increased native vegetation cover in the Atlantic Forest.
The animal had been monitored by camera traps since December 2024. Environmental technicians are analyzing both footage and signs left by the jaguar in the park, such as paw prints and droppings. Its diet has already been identified — primarily consisting of capybaras, peccaries, and forest rabbits.
So far, there have been no reports of attacks or incidents involving domestic or farm animals.
The jaguar, which is an endangered species, is estimated to number fewer than 300 individuals across the Atlantic Forest, according to recent studies.
