Abstract—Conservation biologists, NGOs, and the USFWS have established a goal of returning a viable
population of jaguars into the United States. The source population for this recovery will come from Sonora, Mexico, the closest sub-population of the species. To maintain a viable population there must be females and an active corridor that allows passage of jaguars between Sonora, Arizona, and New Mexico. While considerable attention has been paid to the corridor, little attention has been paid to the potential rate of expansion of the existing population and the importance of female jaguars to dispersal. This paper’s purpose is to highlight what is known of the socio-demographics of northern jaguars, the differing role that females play in dispersal, the possible return-times for females to the U.S. Sky Islands, as well as conservation priorities.
Reports and other documents about Sonoran Desert ecology, management, and conservation. Curated by the not-for-profit Altar Valley Conservation Alliance (AVCA) located outside Tucson, AZ.