A new jaguar may be spending his time in southern Arizona.
State wildlife officials are examining recent photographs of the cat spotted near Sierra Vista.
Every so often — five to 10 years — a lone jaguar will stray from Sonora and take residence in Arizona, at least temporarily. This most recent photo comes from the Huachuca Mountains, and researchers think it’s a different animal than the one first seen back in 2011.
Jaguars are an endangered species and can have a range of up to 500 square miles, says Mark Hart with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
“They are an apex predator. They can find plenty to eat and good habitat in certain parts of southeastern Arizona, but we don’t believe that they are truly at home here because there are no females,” Hart said.
Hart said they believe the cats eventually go back to Sonora to breed. However, some conservationists argue certain areas of Arizona, like the Santa Rita Mountains, are critical habitat for jaguars.
