‘On the Trail of the Jaguar’ presentation set for Jan. 25

Special to the Green Valley News

In 1996, wildlife tracker Jack L. Childs photographed and videotaped an adult male jaguar in Southern Arizona. This was the second of only two wild jaguars ever photographed alive in the United States at that time.

This event ultimately led Jack to founding the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project and to authoring two books about the jaguar and other wildlife found in the border land regions.

At 3 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, Childs and lead biologist in the Detection Project, Emil McCain, will be offering “On the Trail of the Jaguar” - a Powerpoint presentation, discussion and book signing at the Casa de Esperanza Community Center.

The presentation will focus on the outcomes of the project - now in it’s sixth year, issues of jaguar conservation and some surprising images and discoveries from Jack’s forthcoming book - Ambushed on the Jaguar Trail: Hidden Cameras Along the Mexican Border.

The presentation is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. Please contact Sue Colley at 625-2273, ext 840 for reservations and information.

“Tracking The Fields Of The Borderlands” is Childs’ first book, which details the differences in the depredation habits and sign of jaguar and mountain lion.

Childs’ forthcoming book - “Ambushed on the Jaguar Trail: Hidden Cameras Along the Mexican Border” is a pictorial journey of the daily lives of 23 species of wildlife. These photos were taken in Southeastern Arizona by remote motion/heat sensing cameras during the 5 year jaguar study. The book discusses jaguar conservation and contains anecdotes about typical and not so typical days in the daily routine of wildlife research. This book will be available in April 2008. Orders will be taken for signed copies at the Casa presentation. “Tracking The Fields of the Borderlands” will be available for purchase and signing.