Welcome!
Through the “Eyes of the Jaguar” we envision enduring natural landscapes for Arizona and New Mexico
HELP RESTORE THE JAGUAR TO THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST!
The Citizens' Statement of Support for Recovering the Jaguar
Despite the recent death of a jaguar, the US Fish & Wildlife Service says it’s still open to more jaguar captures.
Make Parks, Not Walls! Dear President Obama, instead of a wall-like fence that harms jaguars and undercuts American values, how about an International Wildlife Conservation Area along our border with Mexico?
Obama on the Fence: Read about the Administration’s current position on the border fence.
Our summer 2009 UPDATE on the Border Fence
A Challenge to the Arizona Game and Fish Department: PROTECT JAGUAR HABITAT
Arizona Game Official Rebuked Over Polarizing Comments
Check Out: Google map of Jaguar Habitat Linkages
Asia has its tiger and Africa its lion – right here at home the jaguar is our big cat to protect and restore!
BRINGING TO LIGHT THE JAGUAR’S PLIGHT: Border fencing blocks the jaguar, and a huge open-pit mine is being proposed for jaguar habitat! Meanwhile, runaway land development further encroaches on critical habitat linkages…
THINGS TO ROAR ABOUT: American Society of Mammalogists speaks up for the jaguar. Arizona workgroup on track! A wilderness proposal would help jaguars, a National Forest Plan revision might, and a county plan and a private reserve in nearby Mexico will.
- Cat-Against-The Wall
CorridorDesign: Check out excellent information for county planners, landowners, conservationists of all stripes (and spots).
Jaguar News from Brazil. It’s all about jaguars as endangered animals that historically lived from southern South America to the southern USA. See the October ’08 issue for an article by the Jaguar Habitat Campaign.
LATEST UPDATE: February 8, 2010
June 20, 2008 at 6:07 pm |
This blog is looking great … we’ve sure come a long way in a short period of time. Would be interesting to get some feedback form conservation biology students in New Mexico and Arizona ..
June 20, 2008 at 8:29 pm |
Awesome stuff, Tony! I will defintely post a story and link to this site. Congrats!
June 20, 2008 at 11:41 pm |
A great idea. I hope it takes off and becomes the updateable and timely resource it is meant to be.
June 22, 2008 at 9:16 pm |
Wow! You did so much in a few days. Now if only you can get more powerfuls behind your good ideas. Why not write an action letter for Obama and get important conservation thinkers to sign on to it via the blog? We will need a lot of effort and money behind ESA species to make up for all those years of the Bush administration’s irresponsible leadership on environmental issues.
July 3, 2008 at 7:48 pm |
I’m excited to see this website. I am a Denver resident and frequent visitor to Southern AZ. One of my “goals” is to get Colorado people interested in this big cat that roams in two of our neighboring states.
July 8, 2008 at 5:02 pm |
Hi, Jan. This is very cool … getting Colorado residents to weigh in on jaguar conservation. Several years ago I worked on Ted Turner’s Ladder Ranch in southern New Mexico. He was lending his property to the group breeding Mexican Wolf for release into the wild in an effort to restore the species. Would be great to get property owners in NM and AZ and CO to share influence and contacts and resources with the Jaguar Habitat Campaign. Stay tuned, also, for Jaguar Habitat Campaigner “tools” — articles people can adopt and edit for posting in their local papers … some simple clothing items like organic cotton T-shirts and caps that can help us raise funds … bumper stickers that help get the word out … posters and fact sheets for school kids. (P.S. Where in Southern Arizona do you go? Our campaign’s parent organization has conservation lands in Willcox (maybe a Jaguar Habitat Campaign Headquarters is in the making … !).
July 10, 2008 at 8:26 pm |
One more thing … great video of how all this started on YouTube.
Link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lBdVOjkA4Y.
Or go to Youtube and search for jaguar on US borderlands.
July 22, 2008 at 10:51 am |
Fantastic start guys, have you seen Fernando Lima’s blog on jaguars in Brazil – I’m sure that you guys have much to share! http://jaguardetectives.wildlifedirect.org
July 25, 2008 at 12:04 am |
Thank you, Paula, for this cool link. We send a big “saludos” to our amigos in Brazil who are working to protect and restore jaguar habitat! I’m sure we share a common dream that someday the jaguar will not be endangered in any country.
August 14, 2008 at 3:36 pm |
Hello,
The owner of the hide & head of a jaguar that he killed in So. Arizona in 1971 would like to know of an organization that is interested in using it in an exhibit to both educate the public about the illegal trade of such hides as well as to promote jaguar conservation. Please contact me if you are aware of any such organizations.
Thank you. Nathan Bunker
August 14, 2008 at 8:16 pm |
Hi Nathan,
Might this have been the jaguar killed by boy duck hunters along the Santa Cruz River, Santa Cruz County, AZ? The one whose belly was said to be “full of frogs”? (See the book “Borderland Jaguars” by D.E. Brown and C.A. Lopez Gonzalez).
Much of the Santa Cruz River is now bordered by development on both sides. But the general area still has some great jaguar habitat, including a wildlife movement corridor across the valley, connecting the Tumacacori Mountains and Santa Rita Mountains. Click on “Habitat Linkages” in the sidebar above and go to page 13, or on http://jaguarhabitatusa.wordpress.com/habitat-linkages/13/
Maybe the owner of the hide can help the County and residents protect such habitat so that jaguars can make a healthy comeback. What a great way to honor that cat!
Tony
August 15, 2008 at 9:06 pm |
Tony/Nathan. I think it would be good to make a little video for posting here and on YouTube of the jaguar head/hide. It could be a virtual exhibit of sorts that people could click to view. Maybe the owner of the sacred items would make the video for us to use in marketing/promotion/fundraising. I wonder if there is a Native American ritual particular to the jaguar that could form the basis for the video?
But here’s another thought. Hope that doing something like this wouldn’t bring the crazies out — poeple who trophy hunt and want a jaguar head like that on their wall. I dunno.
November 11, 2008 at 9:01 pm |
With great interest I’m following your work up there in the north. We still have the jaguar in good numbers but have to work hard to maintain it. Take a look at our sightings: http://www.Pantanal.biz
Good luck !!!
November 13, 2008 at 2:01 am |
Lucas — What a great photo of that beautiful jaguar! We hope to visit you at your Pantanal Lodge someday. And you are always welcome to visit us and jaguar habitat in Arizona.
December 11, 2008 at 7:07 pm |
I see that nuestro amigo Macho B was photographed several times last summer in Arizona. He must be a magnificent animal. Hope that he lasts a bit longer, I’d say that he already is a “senior citizen jaguar.” Also, maybe Napolitano will stop building more of the fence.
December 13, 2008 at 1:24 am |
Yes, that big guy has been hanging around Arizona for quiet a few years, just like some of us. The good news is also posted at http://swjags.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/macho-b-back-in-az/
Check out more about him under “resident jaguars” http://jaguarhabitatusa.wordpress.com/sciencepolic/
It’s time to start emailing the Obama Transition Team about that border fence (see address on http://jaguarhabitatusa.wordpress.com/threats-to-habitat/border-fence/).
We’ve got to let Janet Napolitano, the next Secretary of Homeland Security, know that, indeed, CHANGE is needed to protect our wildlife!
February 21, 2009 at 3:10 pm |
I just found your blog. Good job! I am a big fan of the jaguar and very inerested in allowing this amazing animal to roam freely in the Sonoran desert and between Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico. I am totally against a phsyical fence on the border which will adversely impact this and other precious species. I’ve been trying to draw attention to this with my bamboo t-shirt that has beautiful art of the amazing jaguar, and also my blogs and website. You can find my blogs at http://www.AmazingTeesandMore.com and http://amazinganimals–wildandfree.blogspot.com/
February 24, 2009 at 5:43 pm |
I see that Macho B has been trapped and radio collared. Hope that he doesn’t suffer any ill effects.
March 5, 2009 at 11:45 pm |
I have decided to donate 10% of the sales from my Amazing Jaguar bamboo t-shirts to either the Phoenix Zoo or Center for Biological Diversity. Would love feedback on where you all think the funds would be best used. To see a photo of the t-shirt go to: http://www.amazingteesandmore.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19&products_id=52
March 5, 2009 at 11:48 pm |
Since most people still don’t seem to be aware of the fact that Jaguars still roam in the Sonora Desert and thus in the US, I would be interested in any information to add to my website about Jaguars. Thanks.
March 6, 2009 at 8:50 pm |
Hello Dale,
Thank you for your postings. Feel free to use any of the information on this website to help raise awareness about the jaguar as a native species of the American Southwest (just credit the source, or link to us).
As to your question about donations, the Center and the Zoo are obviously different types of organizations, the former more focused on advocacy and direct actions, the latter on exhibits and education. So it’s a matter of emphasis. I’d personally go with the Center. However, please also consider smaller organizations like the Jaguar Habitat Campaign. It’s run on a shoestring budget under Life Net, a small non-profit run by my wife and me. Please check us out at: http://www.lifenetnature.org
Life Net does both research and advocacy work, and we are currently focused on birds in Ecuador, endangered species in Hawaii, and the jaguar in Arizona.
All the best to you in your business and in supporting wildlife conservation.
Tony Povilitis, Ph.D.
March 10, 2009 at 1:41 pm |
Sadly Jan Zinkl’s concerns (24/2) seem to have been well founded. Apparently “the stress of the trapping probably exacerbated the problem.” See http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/03/arizona-jaguar.html
Also a tribute on YouTune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYiQjIa3bas
Good luck to everyone invloved in trying to protect jaguars and their environment.
Richard Percy, UK
April 7, 2009 at 6:05 pm |
First, I’d like to ask everyone to stop trying to assess blame over the recent death of the jaguar known as “Macho B.” Whatever one thinks of putting radio collars on wild animals, I don’t think that anyone involved in the process wanted anything but information to assist in the goal of establishing jaguar habitat. I do think that AZGFD needs to investigate what actually happened, but I think that the best way for everyone to honor Macho B is to work for establishment/restoration of jaguar habitat so that they once more can roam quite a bit of the American Southwest. Incidentally, I side with those who favor non-invasive tracking methods, largely out of concern for the welfare of the individual animal. I also am deeply saddened by the loss of this individual
Second, and this sort of follows along, are readers (particularly those who live near Southern Arizona) aware of the Mountain Lion tracking event being held at Ft. Huachucha on June 5th – 7th? This is its 20th year, one of the organizations making it happen is Sky Island Alliance
http://www.skyislandalliance.org/calendar.htm
I will be attending, this will be my third time. The focus is not jaguars, but it is a great place to network with other big cat fans.
April 9, 2009 at 10:37 pm |
Here’s something that can help all border animals – a law that will make “border protection” be less harmful to them. It is a link from the Center for Biological Diversity, and has to do with writing your congressional rep asking him/her to support Rep. Grijalva’s recent bill. You can go right to their website if the link doesn’t work
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27019
May 20, 2009 at 7:27 pm |
Contacts. I have some contact numbers for jaguar-related government officials. You may know most of this information already, but here goes
Terry Johnson AZGFD JAGCT chairman 623-236-7507
Erin Fernandez FWS field lead (POC) for the Jaguar
Arizona Ecological Services – Tucson
520-670-6150 x238
I am going to contact the woman from FWS. Whatever is going on at FWS, there has been a change of management, both for the Dept. of the Interior and in the White House. Also, they have been ordered to do something, so she may be a good contact.
May 22, 2009 at 12:47 am |
Hi Jan,
Very interesting that FWS has assigned someone to jaguar work at the field level. Please keep us posted on results from your contacting her, and let us know if you would like us to follow up with her on any specific points.
Meanwhile, we will continue efforts to have Interior Secretary Ken Salazar instruct FWS to prepare that all important jaguar recovery plan.
Tony
June 20, 2009 at 6:18 pm |
I got to talk to Erin Fernandez at the Tucson FWS ecological services office, and here is what she told me.
1. FWS has until January 2010 to, essentially, redo their decision on what to do about jaguars. This will give us time to contact them with our thoughts, and to encourage others to do so. Her email is
Erin_Fernandez@fws.gov
2. She suggested sending messages to her, as well as to the regional FWS director, Benjamin Tuggle Benjamin_Tuggle@fws.gov
and to the Field Supervisor Steve Spangle Steve_Spangle@fws.gov
She thinks the messages will all be routed to her eventually anyhow, but thinks it would be good for people up the chain of command to be aware of them.
Ms. Fernandez is part of FWS Mexico Program and is mentioned in this capacity on Northern Jaguar Project’s website. My guess, from talking to her, and knowing that government employees (I work for a municipal government) often have to watch what they say while at work, is that she is pretty pro-jaguar.
Let’s all keep working to get a viable population of our spotted friends back in the United States where they belong.
June 23, 2009 at 9:04 pm |
Thank you, Jan, for news of your conversation with Ms. Fernandez of the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS).
Top federal policy makers, namely Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and the new director of the FWS (Sam Hamilton has been nominated for the position) need to make the decision to prepare a federal recovery plan for the jaguar. Without a federal recovery program, it is inconceivable that the jaguar will make a comeback, given the enormous challenges it faces in today’s environment.
The regional FWS officials mentioned by Ms. Fernandez were involved in the decision NOT to recover the jaguar made under the previous administration. These officials, we suspect, are unlikely to reverse themselves, unless told to do so by their bosses. Still, as you suggest, it is worth contacting them, at least “for the record.”
Getting through to Sec. Salazar may prove more challenging. One suggestion is to contact your federal elected officials in Colorado asking that they broach the subject with him (or at least see to it that you get a reply to a request for a policy change). We are taking this approach in Arizona, and will post the results.
January 13, 2010 at 8:11 pm |
January 12, 2009 — it is official! Habitat will finally be set aside for our cat!
This is the biggest American conservation news since we saved the bald eagle from extinction.
My personal thanks go out to Dr. Anthony Povilitis whose efforts were instrumental in getting the jaguar on the US Endangered Species List.
Without the dedication of people like my good friend Tony, jaguar recovery efforts in the United States would not have come this far.
January 13, 2010 at 8:24 pm |
Congratulations! An uncommon victory for an uncommon cat.