Researchers say they have once again seen an elusive jaguar in southern Arizona, as environmentalists contend a federal border wall and copper mining threaten the animal’s historical habitat.
A team of scientists and volunteers at the University of Arizona’s Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center have recorded four sightings of one male jaguar so far this summer, the center’s first sightings in nearly two years, co-coordinator Susan Malusa told POLITICO’s E&E News.
“It’s a really powerful reminder that jaguars are still moving through corridors that connect these borderlands,” Malusa said.
In July, environmental groups sued the Trump administration over its use of environmental waivers to fast-track border wall construction in the San Rafael Valley, a key wildlife corridor for jaguars and other species.
