Last Known Jaguar in United States is Dead
Sixteen Year Old Big Cat, Macho B, Was Suffering From Kidney Failure
Mar 4, 2009
While initial blood tests indicated that Macho B was in extreme kidney failure, until complete post mortem results are available it is impossible to say what role the recent capture played a part in his illness. At approximately sixteen years old, Macho B was the oldest known wild jaguar (Panthera onca).
The History of Jaguars in the United States
Although jaguars historically ranged throughout parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico and possibly Louisiana, the animals seen in the US are part of the Mexican population. Since 1971 there have been only six documented sightings of jaguars in the US. Macho B has been the only one sighted in the last ten years.
The IUCN listed the jaguar as Near Threatened in 2002, meaning it is close to qualifying as Vulnerable or Endangered. It considers the United States to be the northern border of the jaguar’s range as there have been no records of females with young since the early 1900s.
Jaguar Threats and Conservation Efforts
Hunting for pelts is still an issue in parts of the jaguar’s range and persecution by ranchers who see the jaguar as a predator that kills their cattle also continues to take its toll on the population. But habitat fragmentation and deforestation pose the biggest threat as these changes to the ecosystem prevent jaguars from ranging as widely as they might in undisturbed territory. The border wall between the US and Mexico may be one impediment to jaguar populations returning to the US.
The jaguar technically has full protection throughout its range and a project is underway attempting to protect a wildlife corridor throughout Mexico, Central and South America. In the United States, the US Fish and Wildlife Service opted not to designate critical habitat for the jaguar as the greatest threat to the species there was through shooting. Designation of critical habitat would require the FWS to publish detailed maps and descriptions of areas where jaguars are found, making it easier for those who would persecute the species to find them.
The Role of Macho B in Jaguar Conservation
While the data from tracking this big cat was not enough to provide the US Fish and Wildlife Service with the hoped for data on his range and activities, the loss of Macho B brings the plight of the jaguar in the US into the public eye. This means that conservationists can use this opportunity to push for protection of potential jaguar habitat.
And, until there are new sightings of jaguars in the US, efforts should also be focused on increased cooperation with governments in the rest of the Americas to halt the decline of the species. As the overall jaguar population goes up, the likelihood of the big cats coming back into the US in search of suitable habitat will increase.
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