Jaguar spotted in Cochise County Arizona
The newest confirmed jaguar sighting in Arizona comes from a mountain lion hunter who's dogs chased and treed the animal in Cochise County Arizona south of I-10. The hunter called AZ Game and Fish immediately. The jaguar took off and was again chased and surrounded by his dogs, which the hunter was eventually able to call off after a tense confrontation in which some of the dogs were slightly injured. The hunter's business, Chasin' Tail Guide Service, released only 2 photos of the incident to the public, but says he took many more including videos of the cat running away.
Because of the death of Macho B many in the southwest are weary of AZ Game and Fish being involved in jaguar management or research. Out of touch with common perception and reality, Larry Audsley (Arizona Wildlife Federation's Southern Arizona regional director) said that assuming this jaguar is healthy enough, authorities should try to capture and radio-collar him, to learn where he actually goes. (1)
With most jaguar captures in the region failing and ending in death for the animal, this idea is obviously outdated. A new $771,000 study of Jaguars in southern Arizona will use non-invasive and safe methods for gathering data on jaguars in the U.S. in 2012 and beyond. (2)