Biologist sacked over jaguar capture

The south-western state of Arizona has fired an employee following an internal investigation into the capture and death of what was the only known wild jaguar in the United States.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department said 40-year-old Thornton Smith was a field biologist and had been with the agency for 12 years.

He was involved in the placement and monitoring of traps used in a black bear and mountain lion research project that resulted in the initial capture of the jaguar called Macho B.

The cat was found snared in one of the department's trap on February 18, 2009. It was recaptured due to health problems and euthanised less than two weeks later.

Game and Fish officials say Smith acknowledged he misled investigators regarding facts surrounding the jaguar's original capture.