Stunning trail cam footage has captured one of America’s most endangered animals slinking through the Arizona wilderness.
There fewer than 120 ocelots left in the wild, so when one was captured on camera moving gracefully along the rocky terrain on Sky Island mountain range in the state’s southwest, researchers couldn’t contain their excitement.
The wild cat, often referred to as a mini jaguar, has only been seen twice in the area.
Russ McSpadden, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, said they couldn’t reveal precise details of the sighting to protect its safety.
But he added that the cat was captured on camera one night in July in the ancestral homelands of the Tohono O’odham Nation.
‘I shouted with joy when I realized what I was seeing on the trail cam,’ he said.
‘This incredible footage shows us that ocelots belong in our Sky Islands, despite all the threats they face’.
The Sky Islands are a series of isolated mountain ranges that rise dramatically from the desert floor, stretching from northern Mexico to southern Arizona.
The ranges are biologically rich, with an ecosystem support an incredible diversity of plants and animals, the nonprofit conservation group explained.
‘The Sky Islands serve as vital habitat corridors for species like the ocelot, jaguar and black bear, enabling them to move between different mountain ranges in search of food, mates and safe shelter,’ explained the Center for Biological Diversity.
The same ocelot was detected on June 12, 2024, in the Atascosa Highlands west of Nogales by researchers at the Phoenix Zoo.
Researchers surmise that the ocelot traveled at least 30 miles between June – its first sighting – and July 24.
It is thought to have crossed the Santa Cruz River, in a stretch proposed to become a national wildlife refuge, crossed I-19 and moved into an area with several Sky Island mountain ranges.
Chairman Austin Nunez of the San Xavier District of the Tohono O’odham Nation explained that the ‘Sky Island Mountains are not just beautiful landscapes; they are living parts of our culture and identity.’
‘Seeing the return of an ocelot to these ancestral lands reaffirms our sacred connection to this place and reminds us of our duty to protect these lands and the creatures that depend on them,’ he continued.
‘The ocelot’s survival is intertwined with ours, and we must ensure that this species endures for future generations.’
Ocelots have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1982.
Fewer than 100 are thought to remain in the U.S., with the majority residing in southern Texas. But Arizona is home to a small but crucial population.
The ocelots have striking, chain-like rosettes and spots, which allow researchers to identify individual animals, much like human fingerprints, the non-profit explained.
‘These distinctive markings also provide excellent camouflage in the dense forests, rugged terrain and thornscrub that make up their habitat,’ they said.
McSpadden described the species as ‘elegant, elusive and fiercely resilient felines.’
‘They are an important part of what makes southern Arizona so special,’ he said. ‘Capturing footage of this cat in the wild gives me hope for their survival.
He said, in part: ‘I hope this beautiful ocelot reminds us all of the critical work ahead to make sure these cats’ habitat remains unfragmented and protected for future generations.’