Now is the Time to Think about Reintroducing Jaguars into the U.S.
Driven to extinction in the U.S. 50 years ago, reintroduction is key to recovery of “America’s Great Cat”...
... In a study published today in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, the authors provide a prospective framework for this effort and describe “righting a wrong” done to “America’s Great Cat” in the Southwest more than 50 years ago. The big cats lived for hundreds of years in the central mountains of Arizona and New Mexico but were driven to local extinction by the mid-20th century, in part because of killing by government hunters...
... However, habitat destruction, transportation infrastructure, natural constrictions in the landscape, and the border wall mean that natural reestablishment of female jaguars from source populations in Mexico to this recovery region is unlikely over the next 100 years.
The authors of today’s study conclude that reintroduction of jaguars should be examined as a viable alternative. The authors believe that restoring jaguars can be a net benefit to people, including culture and local economies, and nature and would represent the return of an original part of the U.S. fauna.. The study focuses on on five dimensions of the reintroduction project: conservation rationale, history, ecological context, human context and practical considerations.
“The jaguar lived in these mountains long before Americans did,” said Eric Sanderson, WCS Senior Conservation Ecologist and lead author of the study. “If done collaboratively, reintroduction could enhance the economy of this region and the ecology of this incredible part of jaguar range...”
Re: The Great Outdoors
Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 3:12 pm
by Deleted User 89
idaho...smfh
i can understand some wolf culling, but to allow up to 90% to be killed? even allowing for inhumane and unethical methods
On May 19, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a full committee hearing about biodiversity loss and the drivers, impacts and potential solutions. The event featured Dr. Leah Gerber, founding director of the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes and Professor of Conservation Science at Arizona State University. Gerber is also a Defenders of Wildlife Science Advisor.
“More species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction now than at any other time in human history,” said Gerber during the hearing. “Twenty-five percent of all species – including 40% of amphibians and 30% of marine mammals – are threatened with extinction. And we’re not talking about just extinction, we’re also talking about the general decline of nature.”...
Had a pine marten run across the porch the other morning. Had never seen one in my neighborhood before, but of course they’re around.
Now house sitting, quietly enjoying coffee while the dogs lounge, a fox runs through the yard and all hell breaks lose. BARK BARK BARK! DEFEND THE COLONY! BARK BARK GET OFF MY LAWN!!!