topic Re: Jaguars in Community Chat

Jaguars

Kachina624 — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 19:02:51 GMT

New Mexico is establishing a program for reintroducing Jaguars into the state. There is only one, a male, currently living in the wild in the state. The last female was shot and killed in the 1960s.

They can no longer freely migrate back and forth over the border with Mexico to breed, as they've always done, due to the border walls. A litter of adorable kittens is now being raised which will eventually be released into the wild.

They are such gorgeous animal, it would be a thrill to see one in the wild.

Re: Jaguars

Jk9 — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 19:39:02 GMT

Thanks for posting @Kachina624 . They are magnificent.

Re: Jaguars

Kachina624 — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 19:56:33 GMT

I bet many people don't realize they've existed in the US. They're quite large, up to 660lbs, and are strictly carnivores but are not known to prey on people. Very solitary, they just meet to breed. There's plenty in the Southern deserts for them to eat.

Re: Jaguars

PamfromCT — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 20:01:43 GMT

I am happy to hear this. Good for your state.

Re: Jaguars

Foxxee — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 20:04:05 GMT

I'm so happy to hear there are some still concerned about saving wildlife on the threatened and endangered species lists. YAY!!!!

Wolves, Bald Eagles, and others, have been successful.

Thanks for letting us know.

Re: Jaguars

On It — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 21:01:12 GMT

Didn't I read they were going to release them in the Gila? This will be an interesting development.

Re: Jaguars

goldensrbest — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 22:01:40 GMT

They would also go after the dogs,and cats.

Re: Jaguars

ValuSkr — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 22:07:12 GMT

They would probably help keep your deer population under control - that's if you have a problem like that. We need more predators here in PA.

Re: Jaguars

Goldengate8361 — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 22:58:00 GMT

This is just another reason why New Mexico is such a COOL state. I love New Mexico......If I didn't live and love Nashville so much, I might would move there....

Re: Jaguars

Kachina624 — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 23:49:58 GMT

@On It Probably as that's where they release wolves.

Did you read about the feral cattle that they're shooting there? What a waste but they say they can't be used for food because they're not inspected. As if deer and elk are inspected but nobody worries about eating them.

Re: Jaguars

Kachina624 — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 23:56:11 GMT

@goldensrbest wrote:
They would also go after the dogs,and cats.

@goldensrbest The area is very sparsely inhabited. There's an abundance of feral hogs, javalina, deer, elk, desert sheep, rabbits, coyotes, even oryx.

Re: Jaguars

JaneMarple — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 00:25:02 GMT

@Goldengate8361 wrote:
This is just another reason why New Mexico is such a COOL state. I love New Mexico......If I didn't live and love Nashville so much, I might would move there....

How I miss New Mexico, loved living there. My ex-husband and I would explore and just ride for hours. I actually cried when he got orders to Montana, so many great memories.

Re: Jaguars

On It — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 00:23:47 GMT

@Kachina624 That is an absolute waste. I have eaten feral pigs, and they taste just like pork from the grocery store. I guess they don't want the liability just in case.

Re: Jaguars

Chopsmom — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 00:34:53 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
They would probably help keep your deer population under control - that's if you have a problem like that. We need more predators here in PA.

Yes!

Thankfully, I don't have to drive after dusk anymore. Even during the day you have to watch out.

You can't drive a mile without seeing a dead deer that has been hit by a car. Ater 15 years, I'm still not used to it. Makes me so sad.

Re: Jaguars

Kachina624 — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 02:02:11 GMT

@On It wrote:
@Kachina624 That is an absolute waste. I have eaten feral pigs, and they taste just like pork from the grocery store. I guess they don't want the liability just in case.

@On It My husband shot and killed a feral hog that was hanging around the stables where we kept our horses. We paid to have it professionally processed, cut, and wrapped. It was rank, inedible. I don't know what was wrong with it but lesson learned, you don't get something for nuthin'. It all was thrown away.

Re: Jaguars

On It — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 02:24:00 GMT

@Kachina624 The younger pigs are good to eat. The older sows and boars have stronger, wild taste. My husband hunted on a ranch where he killed the ones we ate. He took them where he had his deer processed. We donated the deer meat to a youth ranch but kept the pigs. My husband uses the terms pig and hog like two different species. He is a farm boy who had livestock on his farm. I am a farm girl who only had plants on ours, so I depend on his experience to tell me what we ate. He said the small young ones do not have the "wild" taste that the older ones do.

I wonder if the feral cattle have a wild taste like deer and elk. I do not like the taste of wild game. I would starve living off the land like Heimo and "The Last Alaskans."

Re: Jaguars

Kachina624 — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 02:52:01 GMT

@On It I think our hog must have been ancient. It had a strong wild taste.

Have you eaten elk? It's my favorite. It tastes like beef with almost no fat. I don't care for venison. Always had to camouflage it with spices and sauces. Had a lot ground up and mixed 50/50 with higher fat beef which gave it good taste. Those days are over.

Re: Jaguars

On It — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 03:13:22 GMT

@Kachina624 My husband killed an elk on the ranch close to Los Alamos that is now a park. He had it processed and put it in the same large chest freezer where we had our half of beef. I got out a package of round steak. After it defrosted, I started to chicken fry it. I thought the meat coloring was odd, but I was in a hurry.

When we sat down to dinner, he laughed and said that I had chicken fried the elk. It was not meant to be cooked that way. Fast forward to now, I would rip him a new one if he killed an elk. They are my favorite. I sit and watch them for hours. I have a picture of a big guy we especially enjoy watching. When my son gets here for Christmas, I hope he will post a picture for you. Maybe I can even learn how to do them myself.

Re: Jaguars

Kachina624 — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 03:26:37 GMT

@On It Ill be glad to help you post a pic anytime you wish. It's very simple.

By ranch, are you referring to the Valles Caldera? That place is a piece of heaven on earth. This time of year, you can drive by it and see elk often. I always take binoculars when I go up there. It's just an hour or so from my house. They have a lottery for elk permits. He was lucky to get one. Many want them, few succeed.

Re: Jaguars

On It — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 04:20:12 GMT

@Kachina624 That is it! I never can remember its name. At the time my husband was there it was a private ranch owned by an oil company. We have a large framed photo of an old cabin on the back side of the ranch hanging in our home. It was a camp for the cowboys gathering cattle with no electricity and its water was from a nearby spring. Close by were hot springs that the cowboys used for bathing. My husband said it was a fascinating place.