Wednesday, 11 May 2016
Friday, 6 May 2016
‘El Jefe’ — the only known wild jaguar in the U.S. — is one step closer to sharing its habitat with a massive copper mine
‘El Jefe’ — the only known wild jaguar in the U.S. — is one step closer to sharing its habitat with a massive copper mine
El Jefe — quite possibly the sole wild jaguar in the United States, and the only one confirmed on camera in recent years — is by all accounts a beautiful beast. The feline was caught on video most recently in February, as The Washington Post reported. He pads by the camera trap in southern Arizona with all of the cockiness a full-grown Panthera onca can muster. Alan Rabinowitz, a big cat expert and chief executive of the wildlife conservation group Panthera, tells Boston’s WBUR station that jaguar swagger like El Jefe’s is why he minted the noun “jaguarness.”
El Jefe first appeared in the U.S. in 2011, and now it appears he confines himself to the Santa Rita Mountains in Arizona not far from the U.S.-Mexico border. But if El Jefe knew what the future of his habitat could hold, he might choose to saunter out of Arizona for good. A mile-wide copper mine, to be carved near the Coronado National Forest where the cat now prowls, has received the blessing of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Known as the Rosemont Copper Mine, the proposed project will involve some 3,670 acres of Forest Service land, including a pit mine, waste disposal and processing plant.
Should the mine move forward, it would be one of the largest in the country. It would be physically huge — a mile wide and with a maximum depth of 2,900 feet — but also incredibly productive. Each year for at least two decades of operation, the pit mine will produce an estimated 221 million pounds of copper. Jeff Cornoyer, the lead geologist on the Rosemont project, told the Sierra Vista Herald in 2013 he expects the mine to bring an annual economic boon of $700 million, surpassing the projected revenue the N.F.L. generated from this year’s Super Bowl.
Since the mine’s proposal in 2007, it has sparked outcry from conservation groups as well as environmental vandals, who in a 2009 incident slashed the tires of a car belonging to a woman who works for the mine.
Though the final decision rests with the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service cleared any obstacles based on endangered species in a recently-released opinion. Concerning jaguars in Arizona — El Jefe, in other words — the possibility of “take,” the FWS wrote, is real. To take an endangered animal, if you’re unfamiliar with the agency’s jargon, means to “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect” it. (Jaguars do not take to capture kindly; in 2009, the last known U.S. jaguar prior to El Jefe’s arrival had to be euthanized after the Arizona Fish and Wildlife Service caught it in a snare.)
As the Fish and Wildlife Service wrote in its opinion: “We conclude that this level of anticipated take is not likely to result in jeopardy to the jaguar, for the effects are not expected to appreciably reduce the survival and recovery of the species. Jaguars range from southern United States all the way to Argentina and thus, take of one jaguar in the form of harassment in the U.S. will not jeopardize the species.” The fate of El Jefe, in the view of the Fish and Wildlife Service, will not alter the fate of his species.
Animal advocates pounced on the FWS’s decision. “The agency charged with protecting America’s most vulnerable wildlife thinks it’s just fine for a foreign mining company to harm our only known jaguar,” said Randy Serraglio, a conservationist for the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement. “This outrageous decision, which was contradicted by the agency’s own scientists, will not withstand judicial scrutiny.”
The Center for Biological Diversity has sued the Fish and Wildlife service in the past, and environmental attorneys are predicting the Rosemont opinion will be challenged under the Endangered Species Act. Meanwhile, nearly 20,000 people have signed an online petition in defense of El Jefe.
Jaguar country historically included California, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona — and, possibly, Louisiana. But by 1963, the last known female to visit the U.S. was shot by a hunter. For decades, biologists believed that the cats had been extirpated from their former U.S. homes — until the jaguars surfaced in the late 1990s. It’s unclear why jaguars have once again appeared in the U.S.; the International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists the cats as “near threatened,” with a population on the decline thanks to deforestation in addition to human competition for deer, peccary and other prey.
And though El Jefe might be the only jaguar around, he’s not completely without four-legged. A dog named Mayke, a Belgian Malinois rejected from a K-9 program, is being trained to follow El Jefe’s scat. Sniffing out El Jefe’s scents, Mayke’s handler and biologist Chris Bugbee told Tuscon’s KVOA station, will shed light on the way the big cat uses the Arizona mountains.
“The habitat is still here,” he said. “We’d like to see the jaguars recover.”
El Jefe — quite possibly the sole wild jaguar in the United States, and the only one confirmed on camera in recent years — is by all accounts a beautiful beast. The feline was caught on video most recently in February, as The Washington Post reported. He pads by the camera trap in southern Arizona with all of the cockiness a full-grown Panthera onca can muster. Alan Rabinowitz, a big cat expert and chief executive of the wildlife conservation group Panthera, tells Boston’s WBUR station that jaguar swagger like El Jefe’s is why he minted the noun “jaguarness.”
El Jefe first appeared in the U.S. in 2011, and now it appears he confines himself to the Santa Rita Mountains in Arizona not far from the U.S.-Mexico border. But if El Jefe knew what the future of his habitat could hold, he might choose to saunter out of Arizona for good. A mile-wide copper mine, to be carved near the Coronado National Forest where the cat now prowls, has received the blessing of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Known as the Rosemont Copper Mine, the proposed project will involve some 3,670 acres of Forest Service land, including a pit mine, waste disposal and processing plant.
Should the mine move forward, it would be one of the largest in the country. It would be physically huge — a mile wide and with a maximum depth of 2,900 feet — but also incredibly productive. Each year for at least two decades of operation, the pit mine will produce an estimated 221 million pounds of copper. Jeff Cornoyer, the lead geologist on the Rosemont project, told the Sierra Vista Herald in 2013 he expects the mine to bring an annual economic boon of $700 million, surpassing the projected revenue the N.F.L. generated from this year’s Super Bowl.
Since the mine’s proposal in 2007, it has sparked outcry from conservation groups as well as environmental vandals, who in a 2009 incident slashed the tires of a car belonging to a woman who works for the mine.
Though the final decision rests with the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service cleared any obstacles based on endangered species in a recently-released opinion. Concerning jaguars in Arizona — El Jefe, in other words — the possibility of “take,” the FWS wrote, is real. To take an endangered animal, if you’re unfamiliar with the agency’s jargon, means to “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect” it. (Jaguars do not take to capture kindly; in 2009, the last known U.S. jaguar prior to El Jefe’s arrival had to be euthanized after the Arizona Fish and Wildlife Service caught it in a snare.)
As the Fish and Wildlife Service wrote in its opinion: “We conclude that this level of anticipated take is not likely to result in jeopardy to the jaguar, for the effects are not expected to appreciably reduce the survival and recovery of the species. Jaguars range from southern United States all the way to Argentina and thus, take of one jaguar in the form of harassment in the U.S. will not jeopardize the species.” The fate of El Jefe, in the view of the Fish and Wildlife Service, will not alter the fate of his species.
Animal advocates pounced on the FWS’s decision. “The agency charged with protecting America’s most vulnerable wildlife thinks it’s just fine for a foreign mining company to harm our only known jaguar,” said Randy Serraglio, a conservationist for the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement. “This outrageous decision, which was contradicted by the agency’s own scientists, will not withstand judicial scrutiny.”
The Center for Biological Diversity has sued the Fish and Wildlife service in the past, and environmental attorneys are predicting the Rosemont opinion will be challenged under the Endangered Species Act. Meanwhile, nearly 20,000 people have signed an online petition in defense of El Jefe.
Jaguar country historically included California, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona — and, possibly, Louisiana. But by 1963, the last known female to visit the U.S. was shot by a hunter. For decades, biologists believed that the cats had been extirpated from their former U.S. homes — until the jaguars surfaced in the late 1990s. It’s unclear why jaguars have once again appeared in the U.S.; the International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists the cats as “near threatened,” with a population on the decline thanks to deforestation in addition to human competition for deer, peccary and other prey.
And though El Jefe might be the only jaguar around, he’s not completely without four-legged. A dog named Mayke, a Belgian Malinois rejected from a K-9 program, is being trained to follow El Jefe’s scat. Sniffing out El Jefe’s scents, Mayke’s handler and biologist Chris Bugbee told Tuscon’s KVOA station, will shed light on the way the big cat uses the Arizona mountains.
Saturday, 30 April 2016
Hidden camera films jaguar cub in Nayarit, Mexico
Footage indicates population, while small, is being maintained, says Conanp
30-04-2016 Mexico Daily News
Video footage of a jaguar cub in a protected area in the state of Nayarit is evidence that the population of the animal is being maintained, says the National Protected Areas Commission (Conanp).
However, population numbers are not high. The commission says there are an estimated 22 jaguars in the National Marshes Biosphere Reserve in Nayarit, where monitoring of cats has been under way since 2009.
The video shows the cub playing with its mother and was recorded by a hidden camera in the region of the reserve known as La Papalota, also home to the lynx, ocelot, white-tailed deer, badger, raccoon, armadillo, rabbit and coyote.
The jaguar is a species that Conanp considers is in danger of extinction although it has been given the lower-risk designation of “near-threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Jaguar conservation efforts have been growing throughout Mexico since they began 10 years ago. Some 1,300 community volunteers are active in 12 states to watch over the jaguar population.
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| (Source photo: Conanp) |
30-04-2016 Mexico Daily News
Video footage of a jaguar cub in a protected area in the state of Nayarit is evidence that the population of the animal is being maintained, says the National Protected Areas Commission (Conanp).
However, population numbers are not high. The commission says there are an estimated 22 jaguars in the National Marshes Biosphere Reserve in Nayarit, where monitoring of cats has been under way since 2009.
The video shows the cub playing with its mother and was recorded by a hidden camera in the region of the reserve known as La Papalota, also home to the lynx, ocelot, white-tailed deer, badger, raccoon, armadillo, rabbit and coyote.
The jaguar is a species that Conanp considers is in danger of extinction although it has been given the lower-risk designation of “near-threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Jaguar conservation efforts have been growing throughout Mexico since they began 10 years ago. Some 1,300 community volunteers are active in 12 states to watch over the jaguar population.
Logra #CONANP captar imágenes de #Jaguar hembra y cachorro en Marismas Nacionales #Nayarit: https://t.co/1BuyBQiMeq pic.twitter.com/zKOfhsC76K— CONANP (@CONANP_mx) April 28, 2016
Friday, 29 April 2016
Jaguars wake up to a winter wonderland at the San Diego Zoo, USA
Jaguars wake up to a winter wonderland at the San Diego Zoo29-04-2016 CBS8.com (USA)
A one-year-old jaguar cub and his mom woke up to an unexpected surprise Thursday morning at the San Diego Zoo when they encountered piles of fresh snow blanketing their habitat.
One-year-old Valerio and his mom, Nindiri, entered the exhibit cautiously. However, in no time at all, the pair started exploring, climbing and showcasing their natural behaviors while enjoying their new winter wonderland.
CBS News 8 - San Diego, CA News Station - KFMB Channel 8
This was the first time the two jaguars have encountered snow. Jaguars are typically native to the warmer climates of North and South America. They are the largest cat in the Western Hemisphere, and the third largest of the world's cats.
According the the San Diego Zoo, the 8-tons of fresh snow was provided through a donation to the Zoo's animal care wish list as an enrichment item for the jaguars. The San Diego Zoo provides enrichment items for the animals in their care to encourage their natural behaviors, allowing them the opportunity to thrive.
Thursday, 7 April 2016
Guyana - Third jaguar shipped to city
Third jaguar shipped to city 07-04-2016 | By KNews | Filed Under News, Kaieteur News, Guyana
The last jaguar captured by Randy Carter and a group of young men from Capoey Mission several weeks ago, was transported to Georgetown on Tuesday by officers of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Residents had been feeding it while they kept it. The first two jaguars were caught by several young men of Mainstay/ Whyaka. The jaguars travelled from the Savannahs in search of water and food due to the prolonged extreme dry weather. Dogs and other domesticated animals are their preferred prey.
A Tapakuma resident said that her community has a remaining number of not more than ten dogs. The jaguars have devoured a many of the dogs at Tapakuma, Mainstay/Whyaka and at Lima Sands. Residents in Lima Sands are reportedly still seeing jaguars under their houses. (Yannason Duncan)
Tuesday, 5 April 2016
Guyana - Yet another trapped jaguar
Yet another trapped jaguar 05-04-2016 By KNews | Filed Under News, Kaieteur News, Guyana
The jaguar which was captured by a group of young men at Capoey Mission several weeks ago is being fed chicken. The jaguar which is still to be removed from the hinterland community by members of the Environmental Protection Agency was trapped several weeks ago. The EPA is however making preparatory arrangements to have the jaguar removed.
The recent jaguar is the third to be captured in a hinterland community on the Essequibo. Traps have been constructed and set up in the communities of Tapakuma, Capoey and Mainstay/Whyaka.
The jaguars have been roaming those areas in search of food because of the prolonged dry weather. Dogs and other domesticated animals have been the jaguars’ preys. Residents have however noted that there still exists a number of jaguars in the remote areas.
The first jaguar was caught by Chris Allen of Mainstay while his cousin, Troy Fredricks assisted him with the capture of the second; both were caught at Mainstay/Whyaka.
Meanwhile, the third jaguar which was caught at Capoey, some seven to eight miles from Mainstay/ Whyaka was trapped by Randy Carter and a group of young men. (Yannason Duncan)
Saturday, 12 March 2016
Guyana - Mainstay residents trap huge jaguar
Mainstay residents trap huge jaguar 12-03-2016 | By KNews | Filed Under News Kaieteur News, Guyana
Weeks after a Mainstay/Whayaka resident captured a jaguar by luring the animal into a wooden trap, Chris Allen, and his cousin, Troy Fredricks, are responsible for successfully capturing a second jaguar.
On Wednesday night sometime around 20:00 hours, at an area called ”Jump, Jump”, the exact area where the first jaguar was caught, the two men activated their trap with more success.
It was noted that once the residents were cautioned not to harm the jaguars, they have opted to constructing wooden traps in the area for the safe capture of the jaguars.
According to reports, Allen was promised a large sum of money for the capture of the first jaguar but never received that money. Both Allen and Fredricks are now reluctant to hand over the jaguar unless they are handsomely rewarded monetarily.
It is still yet not clear how long Fredricks intends to house this second animal. However from reports, it is understood that members of the Environmental Protection Agency will not venture to the Coast to claim the animal. The jaguars venture from the savannahs in search of food given the drought conditions.
But since their emergence, they have been creating tremendous havoc in the hinterland areas. Many residents have complained of losing their dogs and other domesticated animals to the roaming jaguars.
Meanwhile, residents living in Tapakuma, trapped another huge jaguar which has since escaped. It was reported that the cage (trap) was not sturdy. (Yannason Duncan)
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