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Before disappearing into the United States jaguars lived in the central mountains for hundreds of years Arizona as well as New Mexico. Now a team of scientists says it’s time to bring the big cats back to the United States.
U.S. government agents and individuals hunted and hunted jaguars for most of the twentyth century. Persecution here and elsewhere has resulted in jaguars being listed US Endangered Species Act.
In a study published yesterday in the journal Science and practice of conservation, the authors provide a perspective basis for these efforts and describe “bug fixes” made for “America’s Great Cat” in the southwest more than 50 years ago.
The authors of the study include scientists from different countries. Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Landscape Conservation Center, Wildlife Defenders, Wildlife Network, Pace University, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Life Net Nature, and Center for Biological Diversity.
In March, a separate study suggested that the area in central Arizona and New Mexico covering 2 million acres can provide a potentially suitable habitat for 90 to 150 jaguars. This area about the size of South Carolina was not considered in Oct 2018 US Fisheries and Wildlife Service Recovery plan for the jaguar. This plan considered habitat only south of Interstate 10 (an artificial boundary that includes historical records of jaguars north of it) and therefore concluded that there is only six jaguar habitats in the United States.
However, habitat destruction, transportation infrastructure, natural terrain narrowing and the boundary wall mean that natural recovery of female jaguars from their original populations in Mexico to this recovery region is unlikely any time soon. 100 years.
This week’s study authors conclude that reintroducing jaguars should be seen as a viable alternative. The authors believe that the restoration of jaguars could bring net benefits to people, including culture, local economies and nature, and would mean the return of the native fauna of the United States. The study focuses on five aspects of a reintroduction project: conservation rationale, history, ecological context, human context and practical considerations.
“The jaguar lived in these mountains long before the Americans,” said Eric Sanderson, WCS senior ecologist and lead author of the study. statement. “If done together, reintroduction can improve the economy of this region and the ecology of this incredible portion of the jaguar range.”
The study notes some key aspects of reintroduction efforts that need to be discussed with relevant officials and the public in central Arizona and New Mexico, noting that:
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This region is a unique habitat throughout the jaguar range.representing a special and valuable part of the ecological diversity of jaguars.
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The Central Arizona and New Mexico Recovery Zone (CANRA) is huge.covered with suitable vegetation and well populated with potential prey. Given its height and latitude, it could become an important climatic refuge for this species in the future, although further research is required.
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Most of the land is managed for the public good., 68% through U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, as well as National Park Service, with several large designated wilderness areas. Only 381,000 people live in the area, mainly in cities. The most important economic activities are government spending, accommodation and catering services, outdoor recreation, health and social assistance, and retail.
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The mountains of central Arizona and New Mexico are part of the Aboriginal and Reservation Lands of a number of Native Americans.… There are currently two tribal nations, White mountain apache and San Carlos Apache, manage almost 12% CANRA territories, including fauna and ecological systems.
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Reintroduction will replace the historical member of the species community in the region. Today we have the tools to facilitate coexistence and prevent and mitigate conflict. Reintroduction efforts such as Iber’s project in Argentina, demonstrated potential.
“The indigenous wildlife of the Southwest evolved with the jaguars,” said Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity. “They occupy a historical and vital place in our canyons and forests, so we must develop a sensible and humane reintroduction program.
WAN and Peace 4 Animals could not agree with this. We need to focus our efforts not only on the reintroduction of endangered species such as the jaguar, but also on protecting their vital habitat from human invasion, development, deforestation for the paper, pulp and paper industry and palm oil production, and on the use of their land for grazing livestock for the meat and dairy industry, which, in turn, leads to a conflict between humans and wildlife.
Post Scientists say it’s time to bring jaguars back to the US after they were driven to extinction 50 years ago, first appeared in World Animal News.
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