El Tigre alive and well

Deep in the shadows of the night, "el Tigre," the jaguar, slips silently through the rugged terrain. They are rarely seen, but we know both jaguars and ocelots are here, as remote cameras document their presence in Arizona. Their mystery, beauty and power evoke a sense of awe in us, even if we only see them in a photograph.  Although we readily recognize their images, these charismatic cats are so secretive and elusive that most of us know very little about their lifestyles and habits. What are they doing out there in the wild?  How (and what) do they hunt? Where do they sleep? What sounds do they make?

Jaguar roving near Rosemont mine site in southern Arizona

The Santa Rita mountains named in this article are beautiful. And a population of jaguars would make them even prettier.

A gas pipeline through a national wildlife refuge?

Through it, or next to it, the ecological damage would still be there. Monica and I had the pleasure of visiting Buenas Aires National Wildlife Refuge south of Tucson during our second trek to Arizona. Even had the honor of meeting refuge manager Sally  Gall, who is quoted in this article. The disruption and fragmentation of habitat would be a problem regardless of where the pipeline goes in.