Both the criminal prosecution and the Center's lawsuit are misguided. The AGFD biologists are passionate about all wildlife and did not intentionally kill the cat, but they are being villainized. These biologists aren't getting rich from their work. The Center, on the other hand, has capitalized for some time on images of the jaguar(s) to raise funds and promote its extreme positions. The current suit is seeking an injunction against a past harm. It should be dismissed. Criminal charges are not warranted, either. Not by a long shot. Several years ago there was a rare ESA criminal prosecution against a member of the Klump ranching family and his friend who pursued jaguars into Mexico. The evidence room held two stuffed jaguars and several ocelots (all poorly sewn, since no legit taxidermist would touch them). Those guys deserved to be prosecuted -- a far cry from the hard-working state biologists!
 
Also, I'm not sure it is accurate to call this the "last" known wild jaguar. The area in Southern Arizona (which I think I know pretty well from working and hunting out there for decades) is considered the northernmost range of these cats, has been historically occupied by them, and there is no reason to think that a dispersing young male can not occupy it again. Anectdotally, there are people around Patagonia and Sasabe (small towns in the region) who believe there have been, and still are, more than one jaguar in the region. I recently spoke with an opal miner who works a small claim in the Atascosa Mountains who claimed to have seen a jaguar.

Well said, Mr. Correa. AGFD and the other volunteers were doing everything they could to help the jaguar as a species. It was unfortunate that the old jaguar died, but it was near the end of its life span anyway. The non-profits who filed the lawsuit are indeed seeking a fundraising opportunity and political theater.

I agree with Paul Correa's assessment of the situation. Macho B was certainly not Arizona's "last jaguar." His death was unfortunate, but face it, he was a very old cat.
The careers of some very fine biologists have been damaged by a frivolous lawsuit and irresponsible media hype.