Save the jaguars! Ross Beaty gives $5 million donation

Jaguars in eight countries have Vancouver mining magnate Ross Beaty and his family to thank for helping preserve habitat corridors.

The serial entrepreneur who founded Pan American Silver Corp. and his family are donating $5 million over 10 years to Panthera, which is a global wild cat conservation organization.

The news comes a few months after the Canadian Museum of Nature announced that Beaty would be providing it with its largest-ever philanthropic gift: a $4 million investment to enhance the museum’s national research and collections that are focused on species discovery.

“My family and I are pleased to support Panthera and its critical mission in Latin America,” Beaty said.

“While the conservation challenges in the focus areas are vast, so are the opportunities, thanks to the groundwork that Panthera has laid. No one is better positioned than Panthera’s world-class team to implement the innovative, collaborative solutions that are so urgently needed.”

Panthera will fund 18 staff to do research, education and policy work to help create protected areas in imperiled jaguar habitats and corridors.

The money to secure jaguar habitat will be in eight countries: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia.

gkorstrom@biv.com