A citizen spotted the jaguar first, capturing a photograph of its tail last September.
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| Photo credit: Flickr |
Science Recorder | Ellen Miller | Sunday, June 30, 2013
A rare jaguar has been spotted on camera over the last nine months in Arizona’s Santa Rita Mountains, according to images obtained the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Arizona Daily Star reports that the pictures were taken by stationary cameras affixed to different points in the area. The cat has been seen in five different locations a total of seven times. Three of the times the male jaguar was photographed, it was very close to the proposed mine site at Rosemont, southeast of Tucson, Arizona.
A citizen spotted the jaguar first, capturing a photograph of its tail last September. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service utilized the University of Arizona’s cameras to follow up on the claim. The jaguar was spotted near the area the photo was originally taken, and other photos showed that the jaguar moved around 15 miles from the mine site. All of the photographs were taken at night and were obtained by the Arizona Daily Star as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request.
The jaguar is an endangered species, affording it a higher level of protection, potentially affecting the proposed mine. It is the only jaguar currently known to live in the United States. The last known jaguar living in the United States, which also resided in Arizona, died in 2009. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to make a decision by August 20 on whether the land the jaguar is roaming will be designated as a critical habitat. If it is designated as such, the mine would likely be unable to open as scheduled. However, environmentalists disagree as to whether the area the jaguar is living in should be protected.
While it is the best area within the U.S. for a jaguar since the terrain is favorable and plenty of prey exists, the jaguar is a sole male jaguar, so it will not be reproducing or contributing to a growing population of jaguars. Also, the main habitat for jaguars is further south in Mexico.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service are currently writing a report analyzing the potential effects of the proposed copper mine on the jaguar and nine other federally protected species. The report will purportedly include recommendations for how to ease the environmental impact of the mine, particularly in regard to protected and endangered species. The report is expected to be released sometime around July 1, after which county, state and federal agencies will have the opportunity to comment before a final report is released.
A citizen spotted the jaguar first, capturing a photograph of its tail last September. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service utilized the University of Arizona’s cameras to follow up on the claim. The jaguar was spotted near the area the photo was originally taken, and other photos showed that the jaguar moved around 15 miles from the mine site. All of the photographs were taken at night and were obtained by the Arizona Daily Star as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request.
The jaguar is an endangered species, affording it a higher level of protection, potentially affecting the proposed mine. It is the only jaguar currently known to live in the United States. The last known jaguar living in the United States, which also resided in Arizona, died in 2009. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to make a decision by August 20 on whether the land the jaguar is roaming will be designated as a critical habitat. If it is designated as such, the mine would likely be unable to open as scheduled. However, environmentalists disagree as to whether the area the jaguar is living in should be protected.
While it is the best area within the U.S. for a jaguar since the terrain is favorable and plenty of prey exists, the jaguar is a sole male jaguar, so it will not be reproducing or contributing to a growing population of jaguars. Also, the main habitat for jaguars is further south in Mexico.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service are currently writing a report analyzing the potential effects of the proposed copper mine on the jaguar and nine other federally protected species. The report will purportedly include recommendations for how to ease the environmental impact of the mine, particularly in regard to protected and endangered species. The report is expected to be released sometime around July 1, after which county, state and federal agencies will have the opportunity to comment before a final report is released.
Read more: http://www.sciencerecorder.com/news/rare-jaguar-spotted-roaming-arizonas-santa-rita-mountains/
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