Six years after Arizona’s only wild jaguar was unlawfully trapped and killed, a judge has ruled that the public does not have a right to know the identity of a federal wildlife official who allegedly covered up evidence during the criminal probe.
That legal decision emerged last month in U.S. District Court just before settlement of a public-records lawsuit filed against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the Arizona Daily Star.
The litigation stems from the 2009 death of a jaguar known as Macho B, which was captured near the Mexican border by a trapper hired by the Arizona Game and Fish Department to conduct research on bears and mountain lions.
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Exposing the Big Game 
• “The snaring was accidental.” Fish and wildlife agencies have a problem with that kind of accident, AKA collateral damage. Many animals are caught and killed instead of intended prey because the lure attracts multiple species. And why use a prey-specific lure—jaguar species—to catch a bear or cougar? Later it was revealed that the trapper, Emil McCain, actually intended to trap a jaguar, member of an endangered species. His punishment?—probation!
• Apparently Erin Fernandez, the agent responsible for jaguar preservation knew what McCain was trying to do, and she congratulated him for his success. Later she concealed and/or destroyed records. So why would revealing her identity be an invasion of privacy? Why did she deserve privacy? She and the trapper cost the life of the only jaguar in the state of Arizona!
• The Freedom of Information Act is getting to be a travesty. Officials stonewall and stall releasing records. Then they frequently redact them with black markers until they are virtually useless. Fortunately, in this case, Fernandez’ name was visible.
• Sadly, this magnificent animal’s death will go unpunished. If he had not been so rare, he would have merely joined the host of unnoticed and nameless animals trapped and killed, many just unlucky enough to be attracted to the same bait as the intended victims.
• If our attention spans weren’t so short, we would pursue criminals like Fernandez and McCain until their road ran out. Now, like the nameless victims, the spirit of Macho B will know no justice.