Hidalgo Confirms Presence of Pumas, Jaguars Amid Expanded Wildlife Monitoring

The State Biodiversity Commission (Coesbioh) in Hidalgo, Mexico, has officially verified the continued presence of both pumas (*Puma concolor*) and jaguars (*Panthera onca*) within the state's diverse ecosystems. Erika Ortigoza Vázquez, the head of Coesbioh, confirmed that these apex predators inhabit the region, which is notable as the habitat for all six of Mexico's wild cat species. This confirmation validates the necessity of the state's recently strengthened surveillance and wildlife monitoring strategies, which are deemed critical for the long-term viability of these populations.

Hidalgo's ecological significance is underscored by its status as a habitat for 30% of Mexico's known mammals and its fourth-place national ranking for mammal diversity, according to previous reports. To enhance monitoring capabilities, Coesbioh significantly increased its deployment of remote sensing technology, escalating camera trapping capacity from five units to approximately 150 devices. This technological augmentation has already yielded documented results, including at least three confirmed puma records in 2025 across municipalities such as Ixmiquilpan and Metztitlán. Furthermore, monitoring within the priority jaguar region surrounding Los Mármoles National Park has identified at least four active jaguars, reinforcing the ecological value of this protected area, which spans over 23,150 hectares across Jacala de Ledezma, Nicolás Flores, Pacula, and Zimapán.

Conservation milestones have been recorded alongside ongoing challenges. On September 1, 2025, a female puma designated as Mesly was captured, treated for existing injuries, and released fitted with a telemetry collar for ongoing tracking. This event occurred despite the passing of a jaguar known as 'Pacus' in September 2025, an incident that subsequently spurred increased visibility for jaguar conservation efforts and triggered new financial commitments.

The state is actively developing biocultural corridors, an approach integrating wildlife preservation with the traditional knowledge and involvement of local communities. These corridors are designed to foster biological, climatic, social, and economic resilience, with specific pathways established for species pairings such as Mesquite and Puma, Orchids and Jaguarundi, and Yucca and Snakes. The framework for these corridors was solidified through multilingual workshops conducted throughout 2025, aiming to create pathways for biological and cultural exchange, mirroring initiatives in regions like the La Plata Basin.

Financial backing for the jaguar program has been structured through phased allocations. An initial 4 million pesos was announced in September 2025 specifically to equip one biocultural corridor. Subsequently, by March 2026, an additional 4 million pesos was allocated to train and equip four dedicated feline monitoring brigades, supporting the broader State Action Program for the Conservation of Species in Hidalgo: Jaguar and its Ecosystem (PEACEH). The conservation strategy, overseen by the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, Mónica Mixtega Trejo, is deeply rooted in community engagement, including awareness workshops held in 2025 in Pacula and Jacala. In 2026, workshops targeting ranchers and ejidatarios were implemented to educate them on distinguishing predation by jaguars from attacks by pumas or feral dogs, while promoting preventative measures like living fences. This integrated landscape management seeks to ensure that Hidalgo's unique biodiversity, which includes the jaguar—listed as 'Endangered' under NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010—is protected.