More than 760,000 Acres of Habitat Remain Protected for the Elusive, Native Jaguar

WASHINGTON (Oct. 26, 2017) – Yesterday a federal judge affirmed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's designation of more than 760,000 acres of critical habitat for the endangered jaguar. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated the critical habitat in response to suits filed by Defenders of Wildlife and our partners in 2008. Defenders of Wildlife was an intervenor in this case.

Bryan Bird, Southwest program director for Defenders of Wildlife, issued the following statement:

“For jaguars to recover in the Southwest, it is crucial to keep the big cats’ designated habitat protected. We’re glad to see that a federal court has recognized such a critical element to U.S. jaguar recovery and kept more than 760,000 acres of jaguar habitat protected. While there’s much more we can do to recover a natural and cultural icon of the Americas, this ruling is an important step to keep the hope for U.S. jaguar recovery alive.”