https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6tNTKwMUAc


Link to video of the jaguar.

https://biologicaldiversity.or...Mzc1OS4xNzAyODQyOTI2


For Immediate Release, January 5, 2024

Contact:

Russ McSpadden, Center for Biological Diversity, (928) 310-6713, rmcspadden@biologicaldiversity.org
Megan Southern, The Rewilding Institute, (520) 628-4318, tortuga@rewilding.org

Southern Arizona Jaguar Video Confirms New Cat

TUCSON, Ariz.— A wild jaguar shown in a recent trail camera video from southern Arizona is a new jaguar not previously identified in the state. The images captured last month by a wildlife enthusiast and analyzed by the Center for Biological Diversity confirm the eighth jaguar documented in the U.S. Southwest in the past three decades.

“Every new jaguar in Arizona is a moment to celebrate,” said Russ McSpadden, a Southwest conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “After being nearly wiped out these majestic felines continue to reestablish previously occupied territory despite border wall construction, new mines and other threats to their habitat. We’re extremely lucky to live near such magnificent creatures, and we’ve got to do everything we can to protect our shared landscape.”

The rosette pattern on each jaguar is unique, like a human fingerprint, and it enables identification of specific animals. The new video shows this jaguar is not Sombra or El Jefe, two jaguars who have roamed Arizona in recent years. Arizona jaguars are part of the species’ northern population, which includes the breeding population in Sonora, Mexico.

In 2023 a wild jaguar was photographed at least twice by federally run trail cameras in southern Arizona, but those photos were too blurry for its rosette pattern to be analyzed. It’s possible this latest jaguar detection is the same cat.

All the jaguars spotted in the Southwest over the last several decades have been male. It’s unclear from this latest video whether the jaguar is male or female.

“Whether male or female, this new jaguar is going to need a mate. Now is the time for us to have a serious conversation and take action to bring jaguars back,” said Megan Southern, jaguar recovery coordinator with The Rewilding Institute. “This new cat is just one of the many jaguars who should be roaming Arizona and New Mexico in a healthy population.”

Background
Jaguars are the third-largest cats in the world after tigers and lions. They once lived throughout the American Southwest, with historical records on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, the mountains of Southern California and as far east as Louisiana. Jaguars virtually disappeared from this part of their range over the past 150 years, primarily due to habitat loss and historic government predator control programs intended to protect the livestock industry.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service first protected jaguars as endangered in 1972, but in 1980 the Service removed jaguars from the endangered species list. In 1997, in response to a Center campaign, jaguars were again protected as endangered. In 2014 the Center secured more than 750,000 acres of federally protected critical habitat for U.S. jaguar recovery.

In December 2022 the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service to reintroduce jaguars in New Mexico and designate more critical habitat in New Mexico and Arizona.

Awesome Kathi, so excited hope they get a mating pair. Now that we have wolves in CO, when are we getting grizzlies!

So awesome, thanks for sharing

quote:

Originally posted by chuck375:
Awesome Kathi, so excited hope they get a mating pair. Now that we have wolves in CO, when are we getting grizzlies!

At this point, they should reintroduce grizzlies into California first, especially since it's the State Animal of California. There is still plenty of space for Grizzlies to roam there. Then the people of CA should focus on their state and not get into the business of other states...

Hope that Jaguars continue to grow in population in AZ and into southern New Mexico. I have hunted where the Jaguars live along those borders and north of there. Jaguars are not like wolves (of which there are a bunch in the Gila Nat'l forest of NM); they are secretive and behave more like Mountain Lions. I would prefer to have fewer Mountain Lions and more Jaguars.

"If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise……"

I live In Arizona. I really don’t want to be camping with jaguars lurking in the darkness.

I understand. That said, I have hunted in grizzly, wolf, mountain lion and black bear country and spend 20-30 days in areas with high concentrations of one or more of those species and if I were you, I would be more concerned over killer bees than jaguars.

I had 10-12 aggressive bees around one trailhead campsite in AZ that forced me to simply get back in my truck and drive to another spot lol

That’s very neat! Seeing a jaguar in the wild would be fantastic.

quote:

Hope that Jaguars continue to grow in population in AZ and into southern New Mexico. I have hunted where the Jaguars live along those borders and north of there. Jaguars are not like wolves (of which there are a bunch in the Gila Nat'l forest of NM); they are secretive and behave more like Mountain Lions. I would prefer to have fewer Mountain Lions and more Jaguars.

Might be true but the anti's could very well use the fact to put more restrictions on the land.

Reducing the use of the land by humans.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark Clark:
"If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise……"

I live In Arizona. I really don’t want to be camping with jaguars lurking in the darkness.

I live in Colorado Springs on the South West side of town. We routinely see mountain lions and black bears in our yard. Just remember "bears are cuddly" as are lions. I'm guessing the jaguars will be more afraid of you. I'd be more concerned with the spiders and snakes in Arizona.

The earlier jaguar was filmed and documented in a tree North of Sonoita, AZ. This SE Cochise County is just N. of Ft. Huachuca in close proximity to the US-Mexican border.
As to cuddly bears, the black bear in Arizona-New Mexico is predatory as a man near Prescott was killed
by this species in June of 2023. There has always been room in the American west for large revolvers,
just in case.

I have a friend (worked for AZ Game and Fish)who was deer hunting on Fort Huachuca, way up in mountains. At a waterhole he saw exceptionally large cat tracks so he set up a game camera.
He could not go back to retrieve as access on the military base is only during hunting season.
A few weeks later The Army sent a squad on a training mission to recover the camera. The Commanding Officer pulled the card to see what they got.
Jaguar! Spots!
He showed the pictures to the soldiers who retrieved the camera.
"Nope! We’re NEVER going back into those mountains."

We used to go to southern Arizona years ago. Now it’s pretty much stay north of Interstate 10. To many illegals and smugglers plus getting stopped by ICE and asked stupid questions.
So jaguars are not an issue.

Sounds like we have a new border patrol contingent!

Be interesting to see what US Fish and Wildlife as well as Arizona Game and Fish have to say about this sighting. Jaguars are excellent swimmers and can easily climb a fence. Probably several holes already in the fences along the borders from illegal aliens.

I got picture of a Cougar years ago on my farm. NC game and fish said that every picture taken of cougars in NC had been released it in the wild. They said the same thing about the Timber Wolf that was killed by out lodge.

We know for a fact that Feds released Eastern Diamondbacks throughout several National Forrest in Eastern NC.

They should release grizzlies in Portland, Seattle, LA and SF. Lots of food sources, but the bears may become addicted to opioids.

What about Colorado? We want grizzlies too!

quote:

Originally posted by chuck375:
What about Colorado? We want grizzlies too!

And don't for get the wolverines!!

https://www.denver7.com/news/e...lverines-to-colorado