A)Earlierthismonth,theUnitedStatesFishandWildlifeServiceannounceditwouldappoint"criticalhabitat"fortheendangeredjaguar.Jaguars--theworld'sthird-largestwildcats,weighingupto250pounds,withdistinctiveblackrosettes(玫瑰花色)ontheirfur--areaseparatespeciesfromthesmaller,tawny(黄褐色的)mountainlions,whichstillroamlargeareasoftheAmericanWestintheUnitedStatesandtakethefirststepstowardmandating(批准)ajaguarrecoveryplan.Thisisapolicyreversaland,onthesurface,itmayappeartobeavictoryfortheconservationcommunityandforjaguars,thelargestwildcatsintheWesternHemisphere.
B)Butassomeonewhohasstudiedjaguarsfornearlythreedecades,Icantellyouitisnothinglessthanaslapinthefacetogoodscience.What'smore,bychangingtherulesforanimalpreservation,itstandstoweakentheEndangeredSpeciesAct.
C)Thedebateonwhattodoaboutjaguarsstartedin1997,when,attheurgingofmanybiologists(includingme),theFishandWildlifeServiceputthejaguarontheUnitedStatesendangeredspecieslist,becausetherehadbeenoccasionalsightingsofthecatscrossingnorthovertheUnitedStates-Mexicoborder.Atthesametime,however,theagencyruledthatitwouldnotbe"prudent"(谨慎的)todeclarethatthejaguarhascritical.habitat--ageographicareacontainingfeaturesthespeciesneedstosurvive--intheUnitedStates.Determininganendangeredspecies'criticalhabitatisafirststeptowarddevelopingaplanforhelpingthatspeciesrecover.
D)The1997decisionnottodeterminecriticalhabitatforthejaguarwastherightone,becauseeventhoughtheycrosstheborderfromtimetotime,jaguarsdon'toccupyanyterritoryinourcountry--andthatprobablymeanstheenvironmenthereisnolongeridealforthem.
E)Inprehistorictimes,thesebeautifulcatsinhabitedsignificantareasofthewesternUnitedStates,butinthepast100years,therehavebeenfew,ifany,residentbreedingpopulationshere.Thelasttimeafemalejaguarwithacub(幼兽)wassightedinthiscountrywasintheearly1900s.
F)Twowell-intentionedconservationadvocacygroups,theCenterforBiologicalDiversityandDefendersofWildlife,suedtheFishandWildlifeServicetochangeitsruling.Thusin2006,theagencyreassessedthesituationandagaindeterminedthatnoareasintheUnitedStatesmetthedefinitionofcriticalhabitatforthejaguar.Despiteoccasionalsightings,mostlywithin40milesoftheMexicanborder,therewerestillnodatatoindicatejaguarshadtakenupresidenceinsidetheUnitedStates.
G)Afterthissecondrulingwasmade,anArizonarancher(牧场主),withsupportfromthestateGameandFishDepartment,setinfrared-camera(红外摄像机)trapstogathermoredata,andessentiallyconfirmedtheFishandWildlifeService'sfindings.Thecamerasdidcapturetransientjaguars,includingonemalejaguar,nicknamedMacho,B,whoroamedtheArizonaborderlandsformorethanadecade.ButMachoB,nowdead,mighthavebeenthesoleresidentAmericanjaguar,andhisextensivetravelsindicatedhewasnothavinganeasytimesurvivinginthisdry,ruggedregion.
H)Despitethecontinuedevidence,thetwoconservationadvocacygroupscontinuedtosuethegovernment.Apparently,theywantjaguarstorepopulatetheUnitedStatesevenifjaguarsdon'twan!to.LastMarch,afederaldistrictjudgeinArizonaorderedtheFishandWildlifeServicetorevisitits2006determinationoncriticalhabitat.
I)Thefactshaven'tchanged:thereisstillnoareaintheUnitedStatesessentialtotheconservationofthejaguar.But,havingassertedthistwicealready,theservice,nowunderanewpresident,hasbenttothetiresomelitigation(诉讼).OnJan.12,FishandWildlifeofficials,claimedtohaveevaluatednewscientificinformationthathadbecomeavailableaftertheJuly2006ruling.TheydeterminedthatitisnowprudenttoappointcriticalhabitatforthejaguarintheUnitedStates.
J)ThismeansthatFishandWildlifemustnowalsoformulatearecoveryplanforthejaguar.Andsincejaguarshavenotbeenabletoreestablishthemselvesnaturallyoverthepastcentury,thegovernmentwilllikelyhavetogotosignificantexpensetoattempttobringthemback--especiallyifthecatshavetobereintroduced.
K)Sowhynotdoeverythingwecan,atwhatevercost,tobringjaguarsbackintotheUnitedStates?Tobeginwith,theAmericanSouthwestis,atbest,marginalhabitatfortheanimals.Moreimportant,therearebetterwaystohelpjaguars.Southofourborder,fromMexicotoArgentina,thousandsofjaguarsliveandbreedintheirtruecriticalhabitat.Governmentsandconservationgroups(includingtheoneIhead)arealreadyworkinghardtoconservejaguarpopulationsandconnectthemtooneanotherthroughaninitiativecalledtheJaguarCorridor.
L).ThejaguarsthatnowandthencrossintotheUnitedStatesmostlikelycomefromthenorthernmostpopulationofjaguars,inSonora,Mexico.Ratherthandemandjaguarsreturntoourcountry,weshouldhelpMexicoandotherjaguar-rangecountriesconservetheanimals'truehabitatit
M)TherecentmovebytheFishandWildlifeServicemeansthattherarefederalfundsdevotedtoprotectingwildanimalswillbewastedoneffortsthatcannothelpsavejaguars.ItalsostandstoweakentheEndangeredSpeciesAct,becauseifcriticalhabitatisredefinedasanyplacewhereaspeciesmighteverhaveexisted,andwhereyouorImightwantittoexistagain,thenthedoorisopenformanyothersenselesseffortstobringbacklong-lostcreatures.
N)TheFishandWildlifeofficialswhosejobistoprotectthecountry'swildanimalsneedtogrowastrongerbackbone--stickwiththeiroriginal,correctdecisionandsavetheirmoneyformoreusefulpreservationwork.Otherwise,whenfundsareneededtopreserveallthosesmall,ugly,non-charismaticendangeredspeciesatthebackoftheline,theremaybenomoneyleft.