Jaguars Attacks on Humans in the Brazilian Amazon

Fabricia Reges Ferreira, Elildo A. R Carvalho Jr, Joana Macedo, Maria Castro, Everton Miranda, Leandro Silveira, Mário Alves Costa Jr, Rogério Fonseca

Attacks on humans by large carnivores are well documented globally, yet jaguar (Panthera onca) attacks are widely considered rare. We reassessed this assumption by compiling all known records of jaguar attacks on humans in the Brazilian Amazon between 1950 and 2025. A total of 84 cases were identified through a combination of field documentation, local news sources and scientific literature. The majority of attacks occurred in rural areas and involved adult men in a total of 71 men, children (n = 8) and adult women (n = 4). Most of whom were unaccompanied (52%) and engaged in extractive or subsistence activities. Fatalities were more frequent when victims were alone (n = 31) or lacked defensive tools (n=35). Approximately half of all cases were apparently unprovoked, yet 42 jaguars (48.3%) were killed during or after the attack. Jaguar attacks in the Amazon (1.12/year) remain far less frequent than those involving pumas, lions, tigers, or leopards, yet they are more common than previously recognized. Our findings challenge the long-standing perception of rarity and emphasize the need for targeted strategies to reduce risk and foster coexistence in forest-dependent communities.