在長年對美洲豹的忽視和冷漠以對之後，美國漁業暨野生物局(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) 於12日宣布，將為美國的瀕危美洲豹劃定重要棲息，並制定一項復育計劃。當局將於2011年1月前，提議劃為重要棲地的地點。
美國漁業暨野生物局之所以重新審議布希時代的政策，是由於「生物多樣性中心」自2004年起三起訴訟因而裁決的法院命令。該中心是位於土桑的一個非盈利性組織。
「生物多樣性中心」的羅賓遜(Michael Robinson)表示：「有了重要棲地和復育計劃，美洲豹有機會再次在長久以來居住的西南地區優遊。」 羅賓遜也說，重要棲地的劃定將可保護西南部的大片區域。過去這帶是美洲豹的棲地，現在則很少見。
帶著黑色鬃毛的橙色美洲豹，是世上僅次於老虎和獅子的第三大貓科動物，在西半球則是最大的貓科動物。世界自然保育聯盟(IUCN)出版的「瀕危物種紅皮書」中，將美洲豹列為近危物種(Near Threatened)。
根據美國聯邦法規資料庫顯示，目前野外約有5680隻野生美洲豹，分布範圍從南美洲的南部一直到美國的亞利桑那州和新墨西哥州。貝里斯的物種密度最大。
羅賓遜說，「美國的沙漠、森林和山區為美洲豹提供了重要棲地。但今天的決定可能還有助於墨西哥和拉丁美洲的美洲豹，因為這項決定可能激勵其他國家採取類似的保護行動。」
雖然瀕危物種法案要求應劃定重要棲地與制訂復育計劃，但在布希政府時代，魚類暨野生物局多年來卻遲遲未採取行動，以「多數美洲豹在美國以外的地區生存」為由，認為這兩件工作並非「審慎」的做法。
2009年3月30日，一名聯邦法官命令魚類暨野生物局重新思考，關於劃定重要棲地和發展復育計劃，促使該局做出今日的決定。
1996年至2009年間，美國境內記錄了4或5隻雄性美洲豹。羅賓遜表示，無論是透過自然遷移或人為重新引進物種，復育計劃將為美國復育美洲豹提供一個進程圖。
After years of neglect and indifference, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it will designate critical habitat for endangered jaguars in the United States and develop a jaguar recovery plan. The Service will propose areas for critical habitat designation by January 2011.
The reconsideration of the Bush-era policy was required by a court order in the last of three lawsuits brought since 2004 by the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit organization based in Tucson.
"With critical habitat designation and a recovery plan, jaguars will have a chance to roam once again through the southwestern lands they've inhabited since time immemorial," said Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity.
Robinson says a critical habitat designation will result in
protection for large areas of the Southwest, a region that jaguars used
to inhabit but where they are now rarely found.
Jaguars, orange
felines with black rosettes, are the third largest cats in the world,
after the tiger and the lion, and the largest cat species in the
Western Hemisphere. Globally, jaguars are listed as Near Threatened on
the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
An estimated 5,680 jaguars remain in the wild from South America to southern Arizona and New Mexico, with the greatest density in Belize, according to the Federal Register notice.
"The deserts, forests, and mountains of the United States provide important habitat for jaguars, but today's decision may also help jaguars in Mexico and Central and South America through inspiring other nations to undertake similar conservation actions," said Robinson.
Under the Bush administration, the Fish and Wildlife Service maintained for years that designation of critical habitat and development of a recovery plan were not "prudent" because so much of the jaguar's range occurs outside the United States, although both actions are required by the Endangered Species Act.
On March 30, 2009, a federal judge ordered the Service to reconsider designation of critical habitat and development of a recovery plan, resulting in today's decision.
From 1996 through 2009, four or possibly five male jaguars have been documented in the United States.
A recovery plan for the jaguar will provide a road map for recovery of jaguars to the United States, whether through natural migration or reintroduction, said Robinson.
摘譯自2010年1月12日ENS亞利桑那，土桑報導；王茹涵編譯；蔡麗伶審校
from:環境資訊中心
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