Status and Conservation of Endangered Cats Along the
U.S.-Mexico Border
Melissa Grigione
Deptartment of Environmental Science and Policy, College of Arts & Sciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East
Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620; mmgrigione@iname.com
Arturo Caso
Proyectos Sobre los Felinos Neotropicales de Mexico, Bosques 144-B, Lomas del Chairel, C.P. 89360 Tampico, Tam.
Mexico; acaso2@terra.com.mx
Rurik List
Institute de Ecologia, UNAM. 3 er Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Anexo al Jardin Botanico, Coyoacan, 04510
Mexico; rurik@toluca.podernet.com.mx
Carlos Lopez-Gonzalez
Department of Conservation Biology, Denver Zoological Foundation, 2300 Steel Street, City Park, Denver, Colorado
80205-4899; cats4mex@aol.com
Abstract
This paper reviews the research and conservation projects associated with the Bordercats Working
Group, a group of scientists and advocates concerned with the status of neotropical cats in
northern Mexico and the American Southwest. For ocelots
( pardalis ), jaguarundis( yaguarondi
) and jaguars ( onca), this region is the northernmost limit oftheir geographical distribution. We review the results of our field surveys for bordercats in
Arizona, Chihuahua, Coahuila, New Mexico, Nuevo Leon, Sonora, Tamaulipas, and Texas;
describe a GIS-based habitat mapping project for bordercats; and discuss what conservation-related
activities are critical for the long-term survival of the cats in the border regions.
