Comments on: Search For Puma Finds Jaguar

By: kittenz

kittenz — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:58:58 +0000

Notice how dark this spotted jaguar appears in this backlit photo. I mean, you can see the spots, but you can also see how a spotted cat could be mistaken for a black cat, if the backlighting from the sun was a bit stronger. So some “black panther” stories may arise from sightings of normally colored cats, in shady areas or backlit, misidentified as being black.

This jaguar has now been identified as Macho B – he has to be at least 15 or 16 years old; he was probably about 3 yo when he was first photographed in Arizona, and he has been photographed for 13 years. If a jaguar can survive for that long in any given habitat, that habitat should be preserved!

By: kwilson

kwilson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:12:10 +0000

The jaguar has been determined to be the oldest known jaguar in the wild, an update on this story can be found here: Biologists begin monitoring collared jaguar

By: Ke-Ke

Ke-Ke — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:34:32 +0000

Black Jaguars may explain some cryptid cat sightings in the united states but not all of them, especially since some people swear the big cat they saw was jet black with pointed ears like a house cat, Black Panthers wether Jaguars or Leopards usually have spots on a dark background, and usually have small round ears. In my opinion there are probably still mystery felids in North America.

By: Alligator

Alligator — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:55:03 +0000

You know this actually doesn’t bode well for many of the cryptid cats, especially the “black panthers” that seem to be sighted worldwide. Here is the jaguar, there are maybe only a handful living in the country and we are able get a nice photograph on a trail cam and a capture. Let’s just say that 1/4 of the black panther reports were really reliable – why no decent and conclusive photos, tracks, bodies or carcasses of their prey? I’ve heard black panther stories from my friends and relatives all over Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri for well over 40 years. I’m not being closed minded, I’m just saying the sighting numbers and the hard evidence don’t seem to want to match up.

By: delta

delta — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:08:58 +0000

Wow, how fantastic. I wish this could happen in Australia. We have many hundreds of sightings of large puma and jaguar type cats, mainly blackish in colour. If only we could get a photo as clear as this one.

By: Alligator

Alligator — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:21:35 +0000

Hopefully the people of New Mexico and Arizona will allow a viable population to re-establish itself. Historically they ranged from southern California to the southwest corner of Louisiana and as far north as the Grand Canyon. That means much of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas was once jaguar range.

Artwork of the Woodland and Mississippian Indian cultures from the upper Midwest depict jaguars so evidently they were common enough that these people were aware of them either by trading with their southern neighbors for the pelts, claws and teeth or by traveling into jaguar range itself.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:05:19 +0000

If that comment was addressed to me and others, DWA, I get you. I never thought you were saying that. My comment was more addressed to the general thopught processes of those who might think that way. You know, some people WOULD come in here and say that kind of thing. I did read your post carefully.

By: DWA

DWA — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:13:37 +0000

MDI:

Given the “unprecedented decision” referred to right in this blog, and many others like it in the just-departed administration, I’m not so sure hudgeliberal’s venom is entirely misplaced.

And others: I would HOPE that my post made it so very clear that no one could have possibly thought I was being serious with the escaped-pet line. But maybe not.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:06:30 +0000

BTW—that is a georgeous photograph of a Jaguar, folks!!!

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:05:21 +0000

I, too, doubt it is an “escaped pet.”

I’ll skip the political judgments on this one. I’m just glad that apparently the Jaguar is back in the SouthWest.

Let’s hope the electronic device tag reaps huge benefits.