The purpose of protected areas is to safeguard natural habitats and their biodiversity. However, few
protected areas are large enough for the long-term conservation of resident species, making the landscapes surrounding protected areas equally important for species conservation. This is especially true
for wide-ranging carnivores such as the jaguar (Panthera onca), for which conservation strategies stress
the maintenance of range-wide habitat connectivity via protected areas and dispersal corridors. We used
587 interviews with local people in 441 36-km2 sampling units to assess the presence of jaguar and six
prey species in a critical corridor in Central America, linking Bosawas Biosphere Reserve and Wawashan
Nature Reserve in Nicaragua. We analyzed these data using single-season false-positive detection models
in a site occupancy framework. We found that agricultural encroachment, particularly pervasive within a
protected area, was the main factor limiting the presence of jaguar and three large-bodied prey species:
white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), and red brocket deer (Mazama
americana). We suggest that improperly-managed protected areas can suffer the loss of apex predators
and their prey, thereby jeopardizing range-wide conservation strategies for threatened species.