Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Rule To Extend Endangered Status for the Jaguar in the United States

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) extends endangered status to the jaguar (Panthera onca) throughout its range under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. With this rule, the jaguar is now also listed as endangered in the United States, as well as in Mexico and Central and South America. In the United States, a primary threat to this species is illegal shooting. A minimum of 64 jaguars were killed in Arizona since 1900. The most recent individual killed in Arizona was in 1986. Loss and modification of the jaguar's habitat are likely to have contributed to its decline. While only a few individuals are known to survive in the United States (Arizona and New Mexico), the presence of the species in the United States is believed to be dependent on the status of the jaguar in northern Mexico. Documented observations are as recent as 1996. Critical habitat was found to not be prudent and therefore is not being designated.