Tulum, Quintana Roo — A large wild cat, believed to be a jaguar, was captured on security cameras in the early hours of Aug. 10 as it roamed through a residential area in Region 15 of Tulum, prompting residents to call on environmental and security authorities to investigate.
The animal appeared in recordings from a condominium in the neighborhood. Residents reviewing the footage reported seeing the cat walking near homes, apparently without showing aggressive behavior.
“We noticed when we checked the cameras,” one resident said. “The animal is seen walking very close to the condominium, and it is concerning because families live here and people leave very early.”
So far, no attacks on people have been reported, and there is no record of recent jaguar aggression against residents in Tulum.
Another resident said authorities should carry out preventive patrols and, if necessary, relocate the animal to a safer area. “We don’t want them to harm it; what we’re asking is that they locate it and, if needed, take it to a more remote jungle area where there is no risk to people or the animal,” she said.
Not all neighbors agree it is a jaguar. Some who reviewed the footage believe it could be an ocelot, citing the animal’s slender build and the characteristics of its tail.
“When we looked at the video more closely, we had doubts, because it seems smaller and thinner than a jaguar,” another resident said. “Some of us think it might be an ocelot, but someone who knows wildlife would have to check.”
The darkness and image quality make it difficult to determine from the footage alone whether it is a jaguar or another wild feline, so specialists will need to confirm its identification.
Residents of Region 15 have asked for a greater presence of environmental and security authorities, as well as patrols to determine if the animal is still moving through the area.
They stressed they do not intend to harm the animal, but want preventive measures in place, and if specialists consider it necessary, for it to be captured under proper protocols and moved to a safe jungle area away from human settlements.
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