E mil B. McCain* and Jack L. Childs

1. EVIDENCE OF RESIDENT JAGUARS (PANTHERA ONCA) IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION Emil B. McCain* and Jack L. Childs Meagan Forbes

2. Introduction • Typically reside in rainforests or Central and South America • Little is known about the Northern desert environment range of Jaguars • Jaguar habitat has shrunk to 46% of its historical range

3. 61 records in Arizona and New Mexico from 1880-1995. • Formally listed with USFW 1997 • Jaguar killed in AZ 1986 • Jaguar photographed in SE AZ March 1996 • A different jaguar photographed in SC AZ • Feb 2006 another jaguar photographed in NM FIG. 1.- Records with confirmed physical evidence of jaguars (Pantheraonca) from Arizona and New Mexico, 1900-2006 (n= 64).

4. Arizona and New Mexico Jaguar Conservation Team (JAG) Formed by state and federal wildlife and land management agencies

5. Methods & Materials • Study area conducted in mountain ranges of Southern AZ, around areas where historic sightings were recorded • This region includes Madrean evergreen woodland and simidesert scrub grassland • Methods were based on a tiger sampling technique (Pantheratigris- Karanth 1995; Karanth and Nicholas 1998; Karanth et al. 2004) • Cameras equipped with infrared motion sensors, were placed along traveled paths • Second camera was placed across from successful camera traps for identification • Photos were stamped with time to establish time categories

6. Track Surveys

7. Spot Identification

8. Methods & Materials • Photos and tracks were recorded using GPS and imported into ARC GIS for analysis of areas of use. • All methods were approved by Humboldt State Institutional Animal Care and Use committee • All permits were attained

9. Results • 69 photos, 5 videos, 28 sets of jaguar tracks and a calf killed by a jaguar • 2 males photographed who frequented the camera sites • Sightings temporally clumped, but not suggesting seasonal movements

10. Macho A • Determined to be 3-5 yrs in 2001 • Estimated by body size by JAG • 3 right side photographs in 2001-2004

11. Macho B • Same individual as the Baboquivari Mountains Jaguar photographed in 1996 • Seen most frequently • Showed behaviors consistent with marking of territory

12. Discussion • Data confirms presence of resident jaguars in the US • Video of scent marking further confirms residency and suggests presence of competing males • None of the photographed jaguars were juvenile transients • Macho B was photographed in the US over an 11 year span • Study suggests that these jaguars are part of a largely distributed, small population in the species most northern range

13. Conclusions Drawn • Habitat availability is crucial to survival of the northern territory population’s survival • Fence around the border would be detrimental to such a small population • Threats include: direct killing, AZ fast growing human population, housing development, open-pit mines • Need for more research

14. Conservation Biology • More susceptible to being endangered because: Larger species, large home range, small population • Jaguars were thought to be extirpated • Gathered research from public to get the species federally listed

15. Questions?