Status and distribution of jaguarundi in Texas and Northeastern México: Making the case for extirpation and initiation of recovery in the United States.

The jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) is a small felid with a historical range from central Argentina through southern Texas. Information on the current distribution of this reclusive species is needed to inform recovery strategies in the United States where its last record was in 1986 in Texas. From 2003 to 2021, we conducted camera-trap surveys across southern Texas and northern Tamaulipas, México to survey for medium-sized wild cats (i.e., ocelots [Leopardus pardalis], bobcats [Lynx rufus], and jaguarundi). After 350,366 trap nights at 685 camera sites, we did not detect jaguarundis at 16 properties or along 2 highways (1050 km2) in Texas. However, we recorded 126 jaguarundi photographic detections in 15,784 trap nights on 2 properties (125.3 km2) in the northern Sierra of Tamaulipas, Tamaulipas, México. On these properties, latency to detection was 72 trap nights, with a 0.05 probability of detection per day and 0.73 photographic event rate every 100 trap nights. Due to a lack of confirmed class I sightings (e.g., specimen, photograph) in the 18 years of this study, and no other class I observations since 1986 in the United States, we conclude that the jaguarundi is likely extirpated from the United States. Based on survey effort and results from México, we would have expected to detect jaguarundis over the course of the study if still extant in Texas. We recommend that state and federal agencies consider jaguarundis as extirpated from the United States and initiate recovery actions as mandated in the federal jaguarundi recovery plan. These recovery actions include identification of suitable habitat in Texas, identification of robust populations in México, and re-introduction of the jaguarundi to Texas.

Molecular detection of Rickettsia rickettsii in ticks associated with the bobcat (Lynx rufus) in northeast Mexico.

The study of rickettsial agents associated with ticks from wild felines is scarce. In Europe, three species of Rickettsia have been detected (Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsia massiliae, and Rickettsia monacensis) in ticks collected from the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). However, no studies have been conducted on another lynx species. For this reason, the aim of this study was to identify the diversity of Rickettsia species in ticks associated with bobcats (Lynx rufus) collected in the State of Tamaulipas, Mexico. During 1999 and 2004, nine bobcats from two municipalities of the state were trapped and visually inspected for the presence of ticks. A total of 95 ticks were collected from these lynxes. Ticks were preserved in 96% ethanol. Subsequently we identified the presence of Rickettsia DNA by the amplification of several fragments of genes 17 kDa, ompA and ompB. Recovered sequences were concatenated, aligned, and compared with those of reference deposited in GenBank. Additionally, a phylogenetic analysis was performed using the Maximum Likelihood method. The ticks were morphologically identified as belonging to the species Dermacentor variabilis. We selected a subset of 60 ticks which were examined, and 5% (3/60) were positive with an identity of 99% to sequences of R. rickettsii deposited in GenBank. The results obtained represent the first record of R. rickettsii in ticks associated with wild carnivores, and in particular with bobcats distributed in northeast of Mexico.

Loss of genetic diversity among ocelots in the United States during the 20th century linked to human induced population reductions.

Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) in the United States currently exhibit low levels of genetic diversity. One hypothesis for this observation is that habitat fragmentation, resulting from human induced changes in the landscape during the 20(th) century, created island populations with highly reduced gene flow and increased genetic drift and inbreeding. In an effort to investigate this, we used a portion of the mitochondrial control region and 11 autosomal microsatellite loci to examine historical levels of genetic diversity and infer temporal changes in ocelot populations between 1853 and 2005. Levels of genetic diversity were higher in historical ocelot populations than in extant populations from Texas. The earliest documented loss of mitochondrial haplotype diversity occurred at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. The second extant population inhabiting private lands in Willacy County retained higher levels of genetic diversity through the 1990s, but subsequently lost diversity over the next decade. A similar pattern was observed for autosomal microsatellite loci. This supports the argument that low levels of genetic diversity in Texas are related to human induced population reductions and fragmentation, both of which threaten the remaining ocelots in the United States. At this time, the best means of mitigating the continued erosion of genetic variation are translocation of individuals either from larger populations in Mexico to Texas, or between the Texas populations.