Habitat proposal for endangered jaguar put off
The number of jaguars in the wild is unknown.
January 11th, 2011
12:51 PM ET

Habitat proposal for endangered jaguar put off

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has put off for a year proposing a critical habitat area in the Southwest for endangered jaguars.

The proposal was supposed to be made this month, but the agency lacks sufficient data on the animal's habits and needs, it said Monday in a news release.

Designation of critical habitat merely identifies areas where endangered species can survive. It does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge or preserve.

Jaguars in Arizona and New Mexico, part of a population that is based in northern Mexico, rarely are found more than 40 miles north of the border, the wildlife service says. No females or breeding have been seen in the U.S. in more than 40 years, it says.

The greatest threat to jaguars in the United States is killing of individual animals, not habitat loss, the wildlife service said in January 2010.

According to the conservation group Defenders of Wildlife, jaguars stand about 2.5 feet tall, are 5.5 to 8 feet long from nose to tip of the tail, and weigh 100 to 250 pounds. The number surviving in the wild is unknown.

 Post by:
Filed under: Animals • Arizona • Environment • New Mexico • U.S.
soundoff (10 Responses)
  1. GuerillaGorilla

    A beautiful cat that has been hunted far too much. They are killed because they "invade" farms and stockyards built in their traditional terrain. The pose a threat to the profits of the individuals who have invaded their lands and expact the cats to just "move on."

    I say turn the entire area into a preserve and habitat, pay the farmers and ranchers $1 per acre (more than what most of their ancestors paid) and kick em out. These cats were here first, and the damage done by human habitation is nearly irreparable. 20 years ago you couldn't even find a jaguar in the US. Now we are seeing them again (due to conservation efforts) and it won't be long before we start seeing mated pairs and cubs.

    USFWS... stop dragging your feet and do something productive!

    January 11, 2011 at 1:55 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Louis

    We have endangered Americans at home!! Let's kick you out of your home for a dollar and replace you with a poverty stricken family, because they are a beautiful family. We sure have our priorities in order in this world.

    January 11, 2011 at 2:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • StaceyFLNative

      we can see Louis is very anti......maybe he should go back to the country he came from...sounds like Louis doesnt play well with others...they say when people dont have money they are hateful....sounds like Louis is one of them

      January 11, 2011 at 6:55 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Catlady2011

    Maybe jaguars could patrol border?!

    January 11, 2011 at 6:20 pm | Report abuse |
  4. RUFFNUTT

    jaguars suck cause there built by ford.

    January 11, 2011 at 6:49 pm | Report abuse |
  5. StaceyFLNative

    put it off?....they will do anything to get paid for doing nothing

    January 11, 2011 at 6:52 pm | Report abuse |
  6. RUFFNUTT

    just give the jaguars some viagra and kittie food, they'll be ok.

    January 11, 2011 at 6:59 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Veritas

    @Ruff nutt ROFL! love that one

    January 11, 2011 at 8:19 pm | Report abuse |
  8. LOW LYF

    RUFFNUTTS 82 CAMARO CAN OUTRUN A JAGUAR BESIDES WOLFS ARE COOLER I HAVE THE SHIRT TO PROVE IT

    January 12, 2011 at 4:45 am | Report abuse |
  9. Tomas

    Animals put first when there so many people dying of starvation and wars over there. If we had our senses right we would try to rescue em instead cat, dogs, jaguars etc. When man finds hope again im sure they become inspirationally productive and helps others people up. What do we get from a million animals? Nothing!

    January 12, 2011 at 9:19 am | Report abuse |
« Back to main