The experience of Terra Natura Benidorm in the conservation and care of big felines has allowed the birth of a new jaguar (Panthera onca). This is the third time that our team of zookeepers and veterinarians of the zoo have managed to reproduce this species, thus contributing to the preservation of these animals, which are currently threatened.
The decline of their populations places the jaguars as a vulnerable species. In fact, it is included in CITES and is part of the Studbook monitoring project. Jaguars are considered the largest felids in America and third in size in the world, after the tiger and the lion. The team has achieved the reproduction of the species on three occasions, the first time in 2007, second birth in 2017 and the latter one at the end of 2018.
The jaguar has been called Teo by the zookeepers and was born on December 1st, 2018 after his mother Greece overcame a three-month gestation period. The birth developed naturally and lasted about 30 minutes. Teo is a melanic male and weighed 1,200 grams at birth. At first the mother ignored the baby so it was necessary the intervention of the specialists to provide him warmth and massage.
Also, the situation was used to supply serum, maintain their hydration, provide energy and sexed the animal to finally determine that it was a male. Then, it was returned to the mother who took charge of the animal and gave him breastfeed immediately showing the emotional bond between them. During these first months, the breeding has been subjected to a close observation by the team of experts to confirm its correct evolution and adaptation.
Now that the small jaguar has passed this period, it already goes through the exterior facilities of the Jaguar Temple, located in the thematic area of ​​America, next to its mother Greece, from which it will not emancipate until it reaches approximately six months of age. The relationship with the mother is very good, she´s always attentive to the movements and behaviours of Teo. Terra Natura Benidorm has a group of five specimens, three females and two males.
When the jaguars are born, they can be melanic with a characteristic black coat, or ocellated with the camouflage pattern typical of the panthers, with a yellow background and dotted with black spots. It is a carnivore that belongs to the subfamily of pantherine’s and its longevity is around 15 years. Among the main threats to its conservation are the deforestation of its habitat and poaching.