Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

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Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by AGCHAWK » Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:29 pm

I remember a while back when this same subject came up on the site. Looks like they have finally captured on on this side of the bourder.

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TUCSON, Ariz. -- State game officials say they have captured and collared the first wild jaguar in Arizona.

The male jaguar was collared southwest of Tucson during a research study aimed at monitoring habitat connectivity for mountain lions and black bears.

"While we didn't set out to collar a jaguar as part of the mountain lion and bear research project, we took advantage of an important opportunity," says Terry Johnson, endangered species coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Game and Fish officials said jaguars have been photographed sporadically along the Arizona border over the years but none had ever been captured by the agency.

The jaguar was fitted with a satellite tracking collar and then released, Johnson said.

The collar will provide biologists with location points every three hours. Early tracking indicates that the cat is doing well and has already travelled more than three miles from the capture site.

The data produced by the collar will shed light on a little-studied population segment of this species that uses southern Arizona and New Mexico as the northern extent of its range.

"More than 10 years ago, Game and Fish attempted to collar a jaguar with no success," Johnson said. "Since then, we've established handling protocols in case we inadvertently captured a jaguar in the course of one of our other wildlife management activities."

The collared jaguar weighed in at 118 pounds with a thick and solid build, Johnson said. Field biologists' assessment shows the cat appeared to be healthy and hardy.

The species has been protected outside of the United States under the Endangered Species Act since 1973. That protection was extended to jaguars within the U.S. in 1997, the year after their presence in the Arizona and New Mexico borderlands was confirmed.

"We issued a permit under the Endangered Species Act to radio collar a jaguar if the opportunity presented itself," said Steve Spangle, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Arizona field supervisor. "Gathering habitat use information and learning whether and how the cat is moving in and out of the United States may be essential to jaguar conservation at the northern edge of their range."

In 1997, a team was established in Arizona and New Mexico to protect and conserve the species. The Jaguar Conservation Team (JCT) began working with Mexico two years later, recognizing that the presence of jaguars in the United States depends on the conservation of the species in Mexico.

Trail cameras and field monitoring are carried out by the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project, a group that works in cooperation with the JCT. Jaguars once ranged from southern South America through Central America and Mexico and into the southern United States.

By the late 1900s, jaguars were thought to be gone from the U.S. landscape, but two independent sightings in 1996 confirmed that jaguars still used Arizona and New Mexico as part of the northern most extent of its range.

Jaguars are the only cat in North America that roars. They prey on a variety of mammals, fish, birds and reptiles. Individuals in the northern population weigh between 80-120 pounds. Females breed year-round and have litters of one to four cubs that stay with their mother for nearly two years.
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Re: Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by MuleyMadness » Sat Feb 21, 2009 8:20 am

AWESOME!! :thumb

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Re: Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by one hunting fool » Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:17 pm

Man that is great I am happy that they collared one. The story should have also read that the jaguar is the only creature known and documented that will kill out of boredom. They can leap 10 feet straight up from a sitting position and vertical over 17ft.
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Re: Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by AntlersOutWest » Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:24 am

Wow! They are beautiful I have to say..
But on the second hand...
one hunting fool wrote:The story should have also read that the jaguar is the only creature known and documented that will kill out of boredom. They can leap 10 feet straight up from a sitting position and vertical over 17ft.
And I get scared of the little ol mt lion eating me while looking for sheds, I'd hate to come across this pissed off kitty..

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Re: Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by AGCHAWK » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:14 am

Not to mention that they have the strongest jaws in the entire feline family...yes, even stronger than a lion or tiger.

Of course, we bolster the population of Jaguars in the desert SW and we end up with our own natural boarder patrol!!!!!!!
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Re: Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by sneekeepete » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:24 am

That is actually a great Idea!!! Put them all along the border! lol
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Re: Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by TheGreatwhitehunter » Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:17 pm

That is actually a great Idea!!! Put them all along the border!
lol lol lol
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Re: Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by AGCHAWK » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:03 pm

A sad conclusion to this story.

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A collared jaguar from southern Arizona that was recaptured Tuesday for medical intervention has been euthanized after veterinarians determined the cat was in severe and unrecoverable kidney failure.

The decision was made in consultations between the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Phoenix Zoo.

The jaguar was brought to the Phoenix Zoo earlier today after a team from the department recaptured it. Zoo veterinarians conducted lab work and physical exams to evaluate the animal and discover the source of the cat's deteriorating condition.

While early data indicated that the animal was doing well in the days following the capture and collaring, careful monitoring of recent data revealed a decreased level of activity over the weekend that warranted further investigation.

"This is an unfortunate and disappointing situation," said Gary Hovatter, deputy director of the Arizona Gama and Fish Department. "We were looking forward to using the data acquired from Macho B to learn more about the species use of the borderland habitats in order to further conserve the species as a whole."

Macho B was believed to be the oldest known jaguar in the wild. His age was estimated at two to three years old in photographs taken in 1996, making him 15-16 years old now. Previously the oldest known jaguar in the wild was 13 years old.

Kidney failure is a common ailment in older cats.

"It is a sad, but appropriate course of action to euthanize this animal given the hopelessly terminal nature of his condition," said Steve Spangle, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Arizona field supervisor.

A necropsy will be performed to learn more about the jaguar's condition and to possibly provide clues into how long the animal had been sick.

The jaguar's initial capture was guided by protocols developed in case a jaguar was inadvertently captured in the course of other wildlife management activities. The plan, which was created in consultation with leading jaguar experts, includes a protocol for capture, sedation and handling.
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Re: Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by killerbee » Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:55 pm

so was this the same cat that was just collered a month or so ago? or an old one that they already collered? it's hard to say if it was right or wrong to put him down. that is a wild animal and it wouldv't been a natural cause of death-- but then again maybe the amount of knowlege they gain in the research of it will help the future of them (???) i dont know

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Re: Wild Jaguar captured in Arizona

Post by MuleyMadness » Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:05 pm

Dang bummer, sad deal there. Looks like he lived long and good though. :)

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