American Jaguar

In the borderlands between the United States and Mexico, America’s largest cat—the jaguar—is fighting to regain its kingdom.

The jaguar once roamed freely in the southwest desert of the United States. Having been on the endangered species list since 1997, the big cat is just beginning to make a comeback due to conservation efforts. But habitat fragmentation caused by human-made barriers—such as farms, mines, and, most controversially, the border wall between the US and Mexico—continues to threaten the jaguar’s survival. While governments debate the effects of the border wall on human populations, they neglect the impact it will have on wildlife.

American Jaguar: Big Cats, Biogeography, and Human Borders takes readers on a scientific adventure to explore this overlooked part of the border wall story, beginning with an in-depth look at the jaguar’s biology and proceeding through the international conservation efforts to protect the big cat. Author and wildlife biologist Elizabeth Webb examines the jaguar’s predicament and highlights the work of field scientists who are searching for solutions to help the jaguar and other threatened species survive.

There’s no easy answers with a story like this. But with good science, a little communication, and a lot of cooperation, the jaguar can be protected for generations to come.