BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -
A baby jaguar was born Jan. 26 at Brevard Zoo. The cub is bonding nicely with its mother, Masaya, the zoo reports. At this time, the sex of the cub is unknown, and it will be a couple of months before it ventures out on exhibit.
Masaya gave birth to her first cub, Nindiri, in June 2007. She later had two male cubs, Jean and Phil, in September 2008. Nindiri was sent to the San Diego Zoo in 2008 to be paired with a male jaguar and gave birth to two cubs in 2012. The two male cubs, Jean and Phil, were sent to the Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park in January 2010.
The latest figures indicate that there are 55 captive jaguars (23 males; 32 females) at 26 institutions. Jaguars can live up to 20 years in captivity.
It is estimated that jaguars have lost nearly 50 percent of their home range in the last 10 years, found mostly in the dense forests and swampy grasslands of Central and South America.
Brevard Zoo, through its Quarters for Conservation program, continues to support efforts to preserve jaguars. To date, the zoo has contributed more than $18,800 in grants to support jaguars in the wild.
