TUCSON, Ariz. — A male jaguar has been spotted five times this summer in Southern Arizona, and the sighting comes as a border wall is being constructed in the San Rafael Valley, according to Sky Island Alliance (SIA).

The University of Arizona's Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center confirmed sightings south of Tucson, which they say is likely the same jaguar seen in 2023.

This comes as border wall construction begins across 27 miles in the San Rafael Valley, a crucial wildlife corridor, said Emily Burns, program director of SIA. Jaguars have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1972, and if the wall is completed, it could conflict with jaguar recovery efforts in the U.S.

Burns highlighted the importance of preserving these corridors. "The jaguar is our reminder of

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