The Gulf Coast Jaguarundi: A Summary of Current Status and Recovery Goals - Elise Willcox

The Gulf Coast Jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli) is a small felid, only slightly larger than the average housecat. Jaguarundis have a more weasel-like appearance than housecats, with a slim, slinky body set atop shorter legs, along with a very long tail and a more streamlined face. 

 Source: Biodiversity Warriors

Source: Lots of Animals Blog

There are 8 subspecies of jaguarundi recognized by science, but the exact distinctions between the subspecies are unclear. However, the current recovery plan only concerns the Gulf Coast subspecies, P. y. cacomitli. The jaguarundi can be either black and brownish grey or chestnut and reddish yellow in coloration; however, these two coloration patterns are not indicative of distinct species. The jaguarundi is active during the day and inhabits lowland forest and brush-like or shrubbed areas. It is a largely solitary creature, keeping the company of others only when mating or when the mother is taking care of its young. It is estimated that the jaguarundi becomes reproductively mature at two years of age, with an additional estrus cycle every six months thereafter. Each litter consists of 1-4 kittens, and the female can have up to two litters per year. For more information, consult the video below by YouTuber Scott Marlowe:

Source: YouTube

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The Gulf Coast Jaguarundi's historical range spans from southern Texas (Lower Rio Grande Valley; see map, indicated in light green) and down the eastern coast of Mexico (see map, subspecies indicated in red). Different subspecies of jaguarundi are found in Arizona and New Mexico. The last documented sighting in the United States occurred in 1986 in Brownville, Texas, when a roadkill specimen was identified as a jaguarundi. Various camera-trap and live-trap surveys have been conducted at National Wildlife Refuges in Texas since 1982, but no jaguarundis have been documented. Based on the existence of suitable habitat in the area, jaguarundi populations are believed to exist in the northeastern region of Mexico. However, current population estimates and trends are not available.

Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.org

Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.org

The Gulf Coast Jaguarundi was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act on June 14^th, 1976. The first Recovery Plan for the species was put forth in 1990 and updated in 2013.

The most recognized causes for the current and potential future endangerment of the Gulf Coast Jaguarundi are habitat degradation, destruction, and fragmentation. The majority of its historical range in Texas has been converted into urban or agricultural developments. Roads that transect the habitat also pose a threat, due to both vehicle mortality and physical disruption of habitat area. The US/Mexico border is one of the largest disruptions in habitat, as it prevents the jaguarundi from migration and dispersal between the two countries. Additionally, there is no designated critical habitat described for the jaguarundi, meaning that though the species is protected from being taken, possessed, transported, or sold from its natural habitat, the habitat itself is not a protected area. Another potential cause for endangerment and consequent listing is accidental capture and death in traps set for more commercially valuable species. Causes for endangerment that are currently debated include competition with other felids of similar size (such as ocelots), hunting pressure near villages in Mexico, and climate change.

The recovery plan for the Gulf Coast Jaguarundi calls for the development of more efficacious methods of taking data on the species with regard to its current population status, a higher level of knowledge of its habitat and conservation needs, and more education about the conservation of the habitat. The recovery plan also aims to evaluate (for the purpose of protection and restoration) any currently viable habitats in Texas and Mexico. These evaluations would be done in order to establish and maintain populations of the species that are of adequate size and genetic diversity. The effects of nearby human developments and population expansion are also to be reduced. The plan calls for the formation of various partnerships, as well as the introduction of new regulations and the following of currently existing ones in order to assure long-term success of jaguarundi conservation. The recovery process will be monitored and revised by the Fish and Wildlife Service as data become continuously available.

If you would like to learn more, please refer to the full Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Plan for the Gulf Coast Jaguarundi here! 

Image Sources:
Biodiversity Warriors: https://biodiversitywarriors.wikispaces.com/Gulf+Coast+Jaguarundi

Lots of Animals Blog: http://lotsofanimalscanada.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-spectacular-gulf-coast-jaguarundi.html