In the past, I have posted on the status of jaguars here in the Southwest borderlands and have highlighted the case of “Macho B”, a 16 year old male captured, tagged and (eventually) euthanized last year. On Friday, Emil McCain, a biologist for the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project (website defunct), pled guilty to intentionally trapping the specimen in violation of the Endangered Species Act. It appears that McCain has previously trapped jaguars in operations that resulted in at least three deaths and previously admitted a lack of training in handling the species. Today, charges were also filed against a technician, Janay Brun.
Update: I’ve just reread the following statement by McCain which he made in April 2009:
Macho B has become an international ambassador for jaguar conservation. As we grieve the great cats very unfortunate death, we must not place blame or let it divide us.
“Unfortunate” in the sense of perhaps caused by McCain’s illegal handling of the animal. It is no wonder he did not want blame to be placed.
The Sky Island Alliance is reporting that a remote camera has captured an image of an ocelot in southern Arizona. This is the first live record of the species in the state.
(image source – Stanford University)
Update (4/24): The Arizona Republic is reporting that a cat killed east of the Phoenix metro area may be an ocelot. If so, the specimen was a significant distance from the border. AZGFD statement is here.
Update (5/18): Cute though the above photo is, it’s not of the actual ocelot seen in Cochise County. Here is that photo.
Last year I cover the story of “Macho B”, the sixteen year old male jaguar that was tagged, re-captured and eventually euthanized here in Arizona. A report by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of the Inspector General has appeared which states there is evidence that the capture of the cat was probably intentional and violated the Endangered Species Act. Throughout, the Arizona Game & Fish has claimed that the capture was accidental.
Phil Plait linked to this footage taken by the BBC Wildlife Unit – it’s from tiny cameras on the back on a Golden Eagle while in flight. I’m raising the stakes with the above – a Peregrine falcon as it stoops, and a goshawk doing low-level, hi-speed flying in a forest.
Some things to consider. I will not necessarily be responding to (or even reading) comments. I generally do not block comments unless they are off-topic, merely a soap-box for the individual, or clearly spam. I reserve the right to ban persistent offenders. Occasionally a comment will be held up for moderation because it triggers a filter; in particular comments with four or more links will be delayed. Do not resubmit the comment - it will be posted when I get an opportunity. Lastly, commenting get automatically shut down three weeks after the post first appears. Have fun!
Recent Comments