A big cat species keeps popping up in the American Southwest. <\/p>\n
The University of Arizona Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center <\/a>confirmed that a fifth different jaguar was in southern Arizona after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. All the sightings of the elusive, spotted cat have been within the last 15 years. <\/p>\n The latest jaguar was seen on a trail camera visiting a watering hole in November. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re very excited. It signifies this edge population of jaguars continues to come here because they\u2019re finding what they need,\u201d Susan Malusa, director of the center\u2019s jaguar and ocelot project, told the Associated Press. <\/a><\/p>\n Researchers plan to collect scat samples to learn more about the new jaguar. <\/p>\n Malusa said the continued presence of big cats in the region may be related to warming temperatures and significant drought further south. The center has previously warned about the impact of border walls on the population. <\/p>\n The jaguar is the only big cat found in North America, but more than 99% of its range is found in Central and South America. <\/p>\n It has featured prominently in the mythology of indigenous peoples of the Americas for centuries, including those of the Aztec and Maya civilizations.<\/p>\n The few male jaguars that have been spotted in the U.S. are believed to have dispersed from core populations in Mexico, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. <\/p>\n Jaguar breeding in the U.S. has not been documented in more than 100 years, officials have said. The jaguars appear to emerge every few years probably because they are searching for water, experts say. <\/p>\n