Stunning trail cam footage captures one of America’s most endangered animals as it prowls the Arizona wilderness.
There are fewer than 120 ocelots left in the wild, so when one was captured on camera moving gracefully along the rocky terrain of the Sky Island Mountains in the state’s southwest, researchers couldn’t contain their excitement.
The wildcat, often called a mini jaguar, has only been seen twice in the area.
Russ McSpadden, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, said they could not reveal precise details of the sighting to protect its safety.
But he added that the cat was caught on camera one evening in July on the ancestral homelands of the Tohono O’odham Nation.
“I screamed with joy when I realized what I saw on the trail cam,” he said.
‘These incredible images show us that ocelots belong on our Sky Islands, despite all the threats they face.’
The ocelot was spotted in Arizona’s Sky Island Mountains on a trail cam in July
Another image shows the wildcat standing on what appears to be a branch looking down at the mountainous terrain
The Sky Islands are a series of isolated mountain ranges that rise dramatically from the desert floor and stretch from northern Mexico to southern Arizona.
The areas are biologically rich, with an ecosystem that supports an incredible diversity of plants and animals, the nonprofit conservation group explains.
“The Sky Islands serve as vital habitat corridors for species such as the ocelot, jaguar and black bear, allowing them to move between different mountain ranges in search of food, mates and safe shelter,” the Center for Biological Diversity explains.
The same ocelot was detected on June 12, 2024 in the Atascosa Highlands west of Nogales by researchers at the Phoenix Zoo.
Researchers suspect that the ocelot traveled at least 50 kilometers between June (the first sighting) and July 24.
It is believed 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 of 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 bond with 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 survives for future generations.”
An image shows where the ocelot was spotted in the Sky Island Mountains
Ocelots have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1982.
Fewer than 100 are believed to remain in the U.S., with the majority living in south Texas. But Arizona is home to a small but crucial population.
The ocelots have distinctive, chain-like rosettes and spots, which allow researchers to identify individual animals, just like human fingerprints, the nonprofit explains.
“These distinctive markings also provide excellent camouflage in the dense forests, rugged terrain and thorn bushes 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 images of this cat in the wild gives me hope for their survival.
He said in part, “I hope this beautiful ocelot reminds us of the critical work ahead to ensure these cats’ habitat remains unfragmented and protected for future generations.”
