Data from: Population genetics of jaguars (Panthera onca) in the Brazilian Pantanal: molecular evidence for demographic connectivity on a regional scale

Habitat loss and fragmentation are important threats to carnivores
worldwide, and can be especially intense for large predators. Jaguars have
already been extirpated from over half of their original area of
distribution, and few regions still maintain large populations. For these,
detailed understanding is crucial for setting appropriate recovery targets
in impacted areas. The Pantanal is among the best examples of a region
with a large jaguar population in a healthy environment. Here, we analyzed
12 microsatellite loci to characterize genetic diversity and population
structure of 52 jaguars sampled in 4 localities of the southern Pantanal,
and compared them with prior studies of heavily fragmented populations of
the Atlantic Forest. Although we observed some internal structure among
the Pantanal localities, our results indicated that this area comprises a
single population with high genetic variability. Moreover, our comparative
analyses supported the hypothesis that the strong population structure
observed in the Atlantic Forest derives from recent, anthropogenic
fragmentation. We also observed significant but low levels of genetic
differentiation between the Pantanal and Atlantic Forest populations,
indicating recent connectivity between jaguars occurring in these biomes.
Evidence for admixture between the Pantanal and a population on the
western boundary of the Atlantic Forest corroborates the transitional
nature of the latter area, where the jaguar population has already been
extirpated. Our results can be used to understand jaguar population
dynamics in a region that is less disturbed than the Atlantic forest, and
to support the design of conservation strategies that maintain and restore
natural connectivity among currently isolated areas.