Inquiry demanded over ‘last’ wild jaguar’s death
Wildlife groups are calling for an investigation into the death of what could have been the United States’ last wild jaguar shortly after it had been captured and fitted with a tracking collar.
Researchers in Arizona had been following the movements of the big cat, called Macho B, for more than a decade using remote cameras.
The jaguar was one of just four which have been spotted in the United States since 2006. But the other three haven’t been seen since 2006, 2004 and 1996 respectively. Macho B was believed to be the oldest of the four at 14 or 15 years old.
The animal was accidentally caught last month during a research study by the Arizona Game and Fish Department into brown bears and cougars. It was subsequently anaesthetised, fitted with a satellite tracking collar and released.
Last week, officials said that Macho B was “doing well.”
But observers became alarmed when Macho B’s movement patterns appeared to slow. Observing the cat, they also noticed he had suffered severe weight loss and was struggling to walk.
The animal was recaptured and taken to Phoenix Zoo where tests revealed he had been suffering from severe kidney failure. He was subsequently euthanised.
While kidney failure is a common ailment among older cats, wildlife experts fear the stress of being caught and given tranquiliser drugs may have hastened Macho B’s death.
Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity called on Arizona state officials to launch an independent inquiry into whether Macho B’s age and health had been properly taken into consideration in the decision to collar the animal.
He described the death of the jaguar as “terrible news” and said more information about his death was needed.
“We hope Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will appoint a recovery team for the jaguar with their first task being an investigation into the causes of Macho B’s death and needed actions to ensure this tragedy is not repeated,” he said, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
In a statement, the Arizona Game and Fish Department said Macho B had exhibited no signs of physical ailments that could have been detected by the biologists that caught him.
“The jaguar’s initial capture was guided by protocols developed in case a jaguar was inadvertently captured in the course of other wildlife management activities. The plan, which was created in consultation with leading jaguar experts, includes a protocol for capture, sedation and handling,” it said.
Bill Van Pelt of the Arizona Game and Fish http://zoogle-news.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=359&_wp_original_http_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fzoogle-news.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fedit.php&message=1Department, who had been tracking Macho B for 13 years, said the cat’s death felt like the loss of a family friend.
“You know, like someone whom at Christmastime you exchange pictures with once a year, and as the years go by, you see how things change with them. For this animal, I’d be getting these pictures to see how it was doing. It is sad, but I also think it demonstrates the importance of maintaining open space and connectivity of habitats, not only for jaguars but for all wildlife species.”
Wild jaguars were mostly killed off in the United States in the early 1900s. They are now a protected endangered species. Around 120 are believed to be left in the wild in northern Mexico but last year CNN reported on how the construction of a new border fence, pushed through by the Department of Homeland Security despite environmental laws, had prevented the cats from migrating north into U.S. territory.
[...] Union. In March there were calls for an inquiry into the death of what could have been the last jaguar in the U.S. after the creature died shortly after being captured and fitted with a tracking [...]