New Jaguar Spotted Repeatedly in Southeast Arizona — Researchers See Signs of Recovery

09:16 AM, 12/06/2025

The University of Arizona Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center confirmed a fifth jaguar in southeast Arizona after trail cameras photographed the animal three times at a watering hole in November. Researchers will analyze scat samples to determine the cat’s sex, genetics and health. While the sighting offers hope that the regional population may be recovering, experts caution that drought, rising temperatures and border barriers continue to threaten jaguar movements. In 2024 the Fish and Wildlife Service revised designated jaguar habitat to about 1,000 square miles across three Arizona counties.

Rare Jaguar Recorded Multiple Times in Southeast Arizona

The University of Arizona Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center confirmed that a previously unrecorded jaguar was photographed multiple times at a watering hole in southeast Arizona. Trail cameras captured the animal three times in November over roughly a 10-day span, and researchers identified it as a new individual by its distinctive black rosette markings. It is the fifth jaguar documented in the region since 2011.

“We’re very excited. It signifies this edge population of jaguars continues to come here because they’re finding what they need,” said Susan Malusa, director of the center’s Jaguar and Ocelot Project.

The team has started collecting scat samples from the area where the animal — dubbed Jaguar #5 by the project — was recorded. Genetic and biological analysis of those samples will help determine the cat’s sex, health status, and how it may be related to other jaguars in the region.

Why This Sighting Matters

Most jaguars live in Central and South America, and U.S. sightings are thought to involve migrants from Mexican populations. Repeated detections of a new individual at a water source suggest the landscape is still providing some of the resources these animals need. The center has documented hundreds of detections of the other four known jaguars in mountain areas just south of Tucson since 2011.

Ongoing Threats and Conservation Actions

Conservationists warn that jaguars in the United States remain vulnerable to rising temperatures, prolonged drought and barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border that can impede migration. Jaguars are a keystone species and important indicators of ecosystem health, and researchers emphasize the importance of maintaining and reopening wildlife corridors.

In 2024 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revised designated jaguar habitat to roughly 1,000 square miles across three Arizona counties following legal proceedings. While the new sighting offers cautious optimism, experts say continued protections and habitat connectivity are essential for long-term recovery.

What’s next: Laboratory analysis of collected scat will provide DNA and health information that can clarify Jaguar #5’s sex, genetic relationships and condition. Researchers will continue monitoring the area with cameras and other noninvasive methods.

Source: University of Arizona Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center; reporting from local news and conservation agencies.