Jaguars have been spotted on trail cameras throughout southern Arizona over the years.
Although rare, about five sightings were reported over the summer by the University of Arizona’s Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center and its team of citizen scientists.
Researchers said all of the images are of the same male jaguar, which was last seen in the same area of southern Arizona in 2023.
Jaguars have seen significant habitat loss in Arizona, especially with the rise of controversial mining projects and border wall construction in the southern part of the state.
Here are pictures of Arizona’s jaguars spotted in trail cameras.
Are there jaguars in Arizona?
While Arizona does have jaguars, it’s unknown exactly how many live in the state.
In 2022, National Geographic observed that at least seven different jaguars have been seen in Arizona within the past 30 years.
Over 600,000 acres of land has been designated critical habitat by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The land sprawls through Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise counties. In May, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service removed 64,797 acres of the jaguar critical habitat designation in southern Arizona in compliance with a court ruling vacating portions of the designation.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Are there jaguars in Arizona? See trail camera photos of rare big cat