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New Jaguar Confirmed in Southern Arizona

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Arizona Game and Fish Department officials have confirmed a new jaguar has been spotted in the state. 

The announcement comes one week after a trail camera in the mountains near Sierra Vista snapped a photo of the cat. Scientists analyzed spot patterns to determine the jaguar has never been seen before in Arizona. State officials say the closest known breeding pair is still more than 130 miles south of the Mexican border. The only other known jaguar in Arizona is a male called “El Jefe”. He hasn’t been spotted since last year. Jaguars used to have a larger population in the Southwest, but they declined due to human interference. 

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