EDINBURGH ZOO 25thAPRIL 2011 195

Edinburgh Zoo has two Jaguars, a male and a female. Mowgli, our male, was born in October 2004 and came to us in 2005 from Beauval Zoo, France. Mowgli has a black coat and is very bold and curious.

 

In June 2007 we received our female, Tina. Tina is a spotted jaguar, with a beautiful golden coat covered with “rosettes,” or groupings of black spots. Tina was being kept in a circus in Belgium, but was seized by customs because it was illegal for the circus to have her. Tina was assigned to Edinburgh Zoo so that she could become a part of the European breeding programme.

 

We believe Tina is between six and eight years old. Because she was overfed in her former home, she is overweight. Tina’s diet is now being monitored. She has already lost some weight and is on a gentle exercise regime that is incorporated into her training. The weight loss has to be done very slowly so her liver and kidneys are not affected. Tina is quiet but enjoys attention from her keepers. Our two jaguars will be kept apart until it is the right time for them to breed.

 

 

 

Where it can be found at Edinburgh ZooThe Jaguar enclosure is toward the north of the park, between the European wolf enclosure and the wolverine enclosure.

 

Jaguars in the wildJaguars (Panthera onca) were once found both in North and South America. However, habitat loss and persecution of this species has lowered its numbers almost to nonexistence in North America and much of its territory in South America. It can now mainly be found in the rain forests of the Amazon Basin.

 

The largest cat of the Americas, jaguars are stocky, muscular and very strong for their size. Male jaguars are generally 10 – 20 percent larger than females. Males typically weigh 125 – 210 lbs (55 – 95 kg), but larger males have been known to weigh up to 350 lbs (159 kg). The size and weight of these animals varies depending on location; jaguars in more northerly regions tend to be smaller, while those in more southerly regions are typically larger.

 

 

The jaguar’s spots provide very effective camouflage in its jungle habitat. This species also exhibits a condition known as melanism, which causes some jaguars to have a black coat. Melanism occurs in about 6 percent of the jaguar population. Black jaguars are sometimes also called “black panthers.” Jaguars resemble the leopards of Asia and Africa in appearance, but the jaguar is larger and sturdier.

 

Jaguars are excellent hunters, stalking and ambushing their prey rather than chasing it. Their muscular strength also makes them outstanding climbers and swimmers. The jaguar has an extremely strong bite, and often drags its kill long distances or even up a tree to keep it safe from other predators.

 

The number of jaguars in the wild is in decline. Some of the major threats to the jaguar include habitat loss from deforestation and habitat fragmentation throughout Latin America. Jaguars also suffer from human persecution; they compete with humans for prey animals, and are often shot for killing cattle. Commercial hunting of jaguars for the fur trade has declined drastically since protective programs like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) were enacted the mid-1970s. However, jaguar teeth, claws, paws, and other products are still sought after in some countries.

 

Because of these and other threats, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the jaguar as Near Threatened, with the likelihood of being listed as Vulnerable in the near future. This means that the jaguar will be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

 

Breeding programme category: ESB

IUCN Red List category: Near Threatened

 

 

Adopt a jaguar

 

A great way to support RZSS – buy it for yourself or as a gift for the animal lover in your life! Registered charity number: SC004064

Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park are owned by The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.

 

Edinburgh | Scotland | United Kingdom | EH12 6TS

 

 

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