Jaguar critical habitat designation causes concern for Southwestern ranchers

Rangelands
By: , and 

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Abstract

  • The designation of jaguar critical habitat in April 2014 in southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico created concern for livestock ranchers in the region.

  • We interviewed ranchers to understand their concerns with the jaguar critical habitat designation and their attitudes toward jaguars, wildlife conservation, and resource management in general.

  • Ranchers we interviewed were concerned about direct impacts of designated critical habitat on ranching, as well as possible alternative agendas of critical habitat advocates and issues specific to the borderlands region.

  • The ranchers were less concerned about the presence of jaguars but were more concerned about possible limiting effects of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), distrust of government entities, and litigious environmental groups.

  • To maximize effectiveness, government agencies should work to foster trust in the ranching community, be cognizant of sensitive issues specific to the region that may challenge endangered species conservation goals, recognize the opportunity to work with ranchers for endangered species management, and provide outreach about implications of the ESA.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Jaguar critical habitat designation causes concern for Southwestern ranchers
Series title Rangelands
DOI 10.1016/j.rala.2015.05.003
Volume 37
Issue 4
Year Published 2015
Language English
Publisher Society for Range Management
Publisher location Denver, CO
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Seattle
Description 7 p.
First page 144
Last page 151
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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