Jaguars are an important part of North American fauna but were effectively removed in southwestern states by predator eradication campaigns. Fortunately, jaguars continue to occasionally disperse into Arizona from Sonora, Mexico. The biggest threat to jaguars in America is habitat destruction, primarily from open pit mines (such as the Rosemont Copper Mine). The primary threat to jaguars in Mexico is illegal killing.
This jaguar (called El Jefe) was born in Mexico but has spent his entire adult life in Arizona.