BELMOPAN, Belize, Mar 18, CMC- Belizean forestry officials say they have recaptured a female jaguar, known as Anri, amid concerns that the animal may have a damaged canine tooth that could affect her ability to hunt natural prey.
The animal was previously captured and fitted with a satellite tracking collar in August 2025 after being reported as a “potential conflict jaguar” in the Stann Creek District.
“At that time, a full veterinary and physical assessment confirmed that she was healthy and had intact canine teeth, indicating that conflict jaguars are not necessarily old or injured,” a statement from the Forestry Department said, adding that based on expert advice, Anri was fitted with a collar and released from the conflict site within the Northeastern Biological Corridor.
It said telemetry monitoring showed that Anri moved widely across forested landscapes and natural corridors following her release. In early February 2026, the Forest Department received the first report of livestock predation in Lemonal Village and in partnership with the Corozal Sustainable Future Initiative Jaguar Team, visited the site to investigate and install camera traps to identify the animal responsible.
“After reviewing the footage approximately two weeks later, officers confirmed that the jaguar in the area was Anri,” the statement said, adding that on February 27, a trap was set in the area to safely recapture the animal.
The statement said that after several weeks of monitoring, Anri entered the trap on the morning of March 15, 2026, and was safely secured.
“ Preliminary observations suggest that Anri may have a damaged canine tooth. This could affect her ability to hunt natural prey and may influence whether re-release is considered appropriate,” the Forest Department said, acknowledging the concerns raised by the residents of Lemonal Village.
CMC/fj/ir/2026