Historic Ocelot Sighting in Southern Arizona
For the first time in fifty years, an ocelot has been documented in the Atascosa Highlands of southern Arizona. This threatened wild cat was captured on surveillance cameras deployed by The Phoenix Zoo’s Atascosa Complex Wildlife Study during June. A thorough examination involving agencies that reviewed 50 cameras placed throughout Arizona’s Coronado National Forest confirmed the sighting as a new individual, distinct from previously recorded ocelots.
The Camera Setup and Discovery
The camera system had been set up earlier in April. In July, Kinley Ragan, Project Manager for Field Research at the Phoenix Zoo, along with volunteer Ali Lofti, conducted checks to ensure functionality across 23 of the 50 cameras installed. They replaced batteries and SD cards to withstand the intense summer heat typical of desert landscapes. During these inspections, it is customary to review video footage for potential adjustments to camera angles or settings; this process led to an exhilarating moment when they discovered footage of the ocelot.
A Thrilling Revelation
“Reaching this particular site required a demanding 40-minute hike as temperatures soared to 95 degrees,” Ragan elaborated. “Seeing that video was among my last reviews and sent waves of excitement through me; it filled me with pride about what we successfully documented. Initially dazed by disbelief while replaying it repeatedly, I was soon grinning broadly upon realizing what this discovery meant for such a critical area.”
Verification from Experts
Tracy McCarthey, Regional Nongame Specialist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), verified their finding.
“We’ve executed a pelage spot analysis comparing this newly sighted ocelot with currently known individuals in our state along with historical records,” McCarthey stated firmly after confirming its uniqueness.
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Status Update on Ocelots in America
Since being classified as endangered back in 1972 within U.S borders, fewer than 100 individuals remain active in their natural habitat across America today (source). These elusive carnivores primarily hunt small birds, rabbits, rodents, and lizards while facing significant challenges such as habitat loss and fragmentation; dense forests alongside expansive grasslands are essential for providing shelter and avenues necessary for movement within their ecosystems.
Ocelots typically measure between two to three feet long , but instances of spotting them remain rare throughout Arizona. Notably observed amidst desert scrubland at lower elevations compared to most historical finds statewide—this recent encounter stands out uniquely among sightings constrained primarily around Huachuca Mountain range over fifty miles away where another has been consistently recorded over past years’ visual documentation.
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A Promising Research Corridor Uncovered?
The Atascosa Highlands region triumphs not just amid its notable mountains—the Atascosa undulating through Tumacácori leading into Pajarito foothills—but also because it serves functionally crucial yet understudied wildlife migration routes encompassing diverse habitats vital towards sustaining various species within ecology dynamics hereabouts.
In an enlightening pilot study launched earlier this year using thirty field cameras operated by experts at Phoenix Zoo’s Field Conservation team showed impressive results documenting twenty-one mammal species calling these valleys home – despite absence noted concerning jaguars or even original ocelotso!
Next Steps for Conservationists
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// Source : Popular Science.
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