rnment began killing jaguars to protect local livestock production, hindering its survival and evolution.
That was a wrong the Center argued must be rectified by designating lands in the U.S. for the jaguar to thrive and reintroducing them.
“Notwithstanding the government’s deplorable consistency in hindering jaguar conservation, the passage of laws and their enforcement has led policies and practices regarding jaguars to evolve,” read the petition.
And despite its listing under the Endangered Species Act, and the federal government setting aside about 764,000 acres for habitat in 2014, the jaguar still struggled to grow in numbers, the petition read, and stronger action was needed.
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can do far better,” read the petition. “The geography, history, and biology pertaining to the jaguar, as well as the law, argue for a new approach to jaguar conservation.”
In a statement following the court decision to remove New Mexico lands from jaguar habitat, former New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau Chief Executive Officer Chad Smith said the species' survival in the U.S. was unrealistic and efforts to restore its numbers would only add regulatory burden to the livestock industry.
“This is a species that is heavily reliant on different climates other than the arid southwest,” he said. “We’re not opposed to conservation by any means. We’re an important part of that, but we also have to be smart about it.”
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, firstname.lastname@example.org or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.