Wildlife officials have reported another sighting of a jaguar in southern Arizona, making it the eighth documented jaguar in the southwestern U.S. since 1996.

According to the Arizona Republic, a person who enjoys filming wildlife and shares their footage online recently recorded a video of a jaguar roaming in the Huachuca Mountains near Tucson.

According to a representative from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the department has verified Jason Miller’s video and confirmed that it shows a previously undocumented jaguar in the United States.

The animals were added to the list of endangered species in 1997, having been taken off in 1980.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has identified approximately 750,000 acres of vital protected land for jaguars in the southern border regions of Arizona and New Mexico.

Officials stated that the jaguars found in Arizona are a subpopulation of the species’ northern region, which also includes the breeding population in Sonora, Mexico.

“I am confident that this is a novel type of jaguar, not previously documented in the United States,” stated Russ McSpadden, a conservationist focused on the southwest region at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Despite facing numerous challenges such as the construction of border walls, new mining operations, and other hazards to their natural habitat, these magnificent creatures are persisting in reclaiming their former territories.”

Authorities stated that the rosette design found on every jaguar is distinct, similar to a human fingerprint, and aids in distinguishing individual animals.

The latest footage indicates that the cat is neither Sombra nor El Jefe, two jaguars who have been seen in Arizona in recent times.

The sex of the recently sighted jaguar is uncertain.

“The jaguar, regardless of gender, will require a partner. It is crucial for us to have a significant discussion and actively work towards restoring the jaguar population,” stated Megan Southern, who serves as the jaguar recovery coordinator at The Rewilding Institute, in an interview with Phoenix-based television station KPNX.

Source: wral.com