By Belize Live News Staff: A juvenile female jaguar was tragically killed on the Coastal Highway near Hope Creek Village, sparking outrage and concern among conservationists and locals alike. The heartbreaking discovery was shared on social media, where a passerby who found the jaguar recounted the incident.
“Just found a little jaguar on the road, a little female,” the passerby said in a video. “When I passed, there were three vehicles parked there. A van and two SUVs. I managed to pick her up, but they had left her on the edge of the road.”
While the exact cause of death is unknown, the witness noticed small pellets on the jaguar’s body, raising suspicions of foul play. The Belize Zoo has since retrieved the jaguar’s body and will provide a proper burial. This marks the sixth jaguar the passerby has encountered, though the first found deceased.
In a troubling development, reports suggest that two additional jaguars were recently shot by a foreigner in Belize District. The Forest Department is currently investigating this incident, as concerns grow over the protection of Belize’s national animal.
The loss of these majestic creatures has reignited calls for stricter enforcement of wildlife protection laws and increased awareness to prevent further tragedies.
