New Jaguar in Sonoran borderlands
Sky Island Alliance Documents Jaguar Close to the US/Mexico Border
It was Saturday night when Martha and Carlos Robles, owners of Rancho El Aribabi, were waiting patiently for SIA Northern Mexico Program Coordinator Sergio Avila to return from a long day in the field. They were eager to help check the latest images from the remote cameras placed on their property in the Sonoran Sky Islands. As they sat down together to look through the photographs, Sergio told the Robles' of the intuitive feeling that overcame him while in the field that day - he sensed a presence in the area, a feeling that was familiar. Going through photos on a screen they saw stills of a mountain lion with her cubs, curios skunks, healthy deer meandering through the area and even creeks running after the winter rains. And then the first jaguar photo appeared and then another. Feelings of elation exploded in the room and the three began hugging and cheering - a celebration of three years working together to preserve the excellent ecological conditions on the property so that species like the jaguar have a place to roam and thrive.
SIA press release on new jaguar sighting
These are SIA's first photographs of this elusive cat, and were taken only thirty miles south of the US/Mexico border.
Carlos said that he and his family "are thrilled about the results of this collaborative project. Our family has worked hard to restore ecological processes in this land. We hope this gets the attention of government agencies and foundations, so we can establish a sustainable model that protects biodiversity and supports landowners and their families at the same time.”
“The jaguar's presence in this area confirms and highlights the landowner's efforts to protect biodiversity,” added Sergio. “Jaguars in northern Mexico are the hope for jaguar recovery in the United States; this is a reminder of our responsibility and an opportunity to do things right this time.”
To support the recovery of this endangered tropical cat in the Sky Island region, migration corridors must be protected, linking key habitat cores between Mexico and the United States . The protection of jaguar habitat benefits a whole range of less prominent endangered species and adds to the health and resilience of the landscape.
Last fall, through the donations of 123 individuals, we raised over $30,000 for wild cat population recovery in the region through the "Bring Back the Cats" campaign. The campaign is over but the effort continues! Your support will help protect wild cat corridors across the region and ensure healthy ecosystems in the Sky Island region!
News stories on new jaguar photos:
http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=11990760
http://www.azstarnet.com/news/science/environment/article_13e68a67-693a-5ddb-aeee-c1a34cd7cd40.html
For more information contact Sergio Avila , Northern Mexico Program Coordinator, at sergio@skyislandalliance.org , (520) 624-7080 x 16 or visit: skyislandalliance.org/jaguars.htm