Researchers at University of Arizona have confirmed a new jaguar in southern Arizona. This is the fifth big cat over the last 15 years to be spotted in the area.
The animal was captured by a remote camera while visiting a watering hole in November. Its distinctive spots set it apart from previous sightings.
Researchers with the Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center at UA say the presence of jaguars suggests a healthy landscape — but climate change and border barriers can threaten migratory corridors.
The team is now collecting scat samples to conduct genetic analysis and determine the sex and other details about the new jaguar, including what it likes to eat.
More Arizona animal news
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The California-based company Reflect Orbital got approval to send a prototype into space from the FCC that is set to be able to reflect sunlight back to Earth at night. Astronomers had tried to get more review, saying it could effect observations and have broader ecological impacts. -
Brian Fogarty has been making music for more than a decade. But over the past several months, he’s started working with new collaborators: animals. -
![AZ Husky Rescue co-founders Alison Nicolosi [left] and Veronica Reece with Marley, an adoptable dog, at the Heard Museum on July 12, 2026.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b00a52b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2246+0+389/resize/280x156!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6f%2Fec%2F2996515440019795916d3223754c%2Fmolly-of-denali-az-husky-rescue-20260712.jpg)
“Molly of Denali” made her groundbreaking debut on PBS Kids back in 2019. The animated Alaska Native girl is the first Indigenous lead of a nationally distributed children’s series. Now, she’s made a stop in Phoenix. -
Dr. Kim Olson Gibbs at HonorHealth believes desert dwellers could be underestimating their risk of mosquito-borne illnesses. -
Environmental advocates worry about the future of cool mix flows, which send water from Lake Powell to protect threatened humpback chub in the Grand Canyon.
![AZ Husky Rescue co-founders Alison Nicolosi [left] and Veronica Reece with Marley, an adoptable dog, at the Heard Museum on July 12, 2026.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ba22f31/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2246+0+389/resize/560x312!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6f%2Fec%2F2996515440019795916d3223754c%2Fmolly-of-denali-az-husky-rescue-20260712.jpg)
