2024-01-07 03:09:13
A jaguar has been spotted by a trail camera in southern Arizona, becoming the eighth such feline to be sighted in the last three decades.
“Every new jaguar in Arizona is a moment to celebrate,” said Russ McSpadden, who works for the Center for Biological Diversity.
“After almost completely disappearing, these majestic felines continue to re-inhabit previously occupied territories despite the construction of border walls, new mines and other threats to their habitat. We are extremely lucky to live near such magnificent creatures and we must do everything we can to protect our shared landscape,” added the scientist.
Biologists are able to say that this jaguar has never before been observed thanks to the patterns of its coat, which is unique to each animal, the Center for Biological Diversity reported Friday in a press release.
All jaguars previously seen in the southern United States have been males, but the recent video, which dates from December, cannot determine the sex of the animal, scientists say.
“Whether it’s a male or a female, this new jaguar will need a partner. It’s time for us to have a serious conversation and take action to bring back the jaguars,” said Megan Southern of the Rewilding Institute.
Jaguars, which previously lived in the southern United States, have disappeared from the territory in the last 150 years, due to the loss of their habitat and then government programs put in place to protect livestock, detailed the press release.
1704597338
#Arizona #eighth #jaguar #observed #years