Kon: Male, born at the Montgomery Zoo on June 29, 2005. Arrived at the Philadelphia Zoo on January 14, 2006. He is a melanastic (black) jaguar. Melanistic jaguars are often darker on the first half of the body, with the dark coloration lightening up as it moves down toward the tail, revealing the black rosettes that still appear in the coat. Kon, however, is exceptionally dark the entire length of his body.

Jutai: Male, born in Belize and found in a citrus orchard when he was about 4 months old. He was brought to the Belize Zoo in March 2004 and arrived at the Philadelphia Zoo on April 17, 2007. He is yellow with black rosettes.

Kanga: Female, born at the Zoologico La Jungla in Guatamala on September 7, 2000, she came to the Philadelphia Zoo on October 14, 2010. Kanga arrived here under a Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding recommendation. Kanga has a shorter tail. She is quite animated with her tail even though it is shorter. She has given birth to 6 cubs, 5 of which reside at other zoos across the country

Lucha: Male, born June 3, 2011 to Jutai and Kanga. He is Jutai’s first cub. His name means “fight” in Spanish.

Conservation at a Glance

North America: Mexico Jaguar Project

• A breeding population of about 100 jaguars can be found 120 miles south of the U.S. – Mexico border in a sparsely populated area of huge cattle ranches.
• These jaguars are threatened by habitat destruction and persecution by cattle ranchers as potential cattle predators.
• The Mexico Jaguar Project purchases and protects jaguar habitat in northern Mexico and pays Jaguar Guardians to help local ranchers learn how to live with jaguars. Philadelphia Zoo guests can help purchase land for jaguars by contributing to Acres for Jaguars in the Zoo’s First Niagra Big Cat Falls or on the Zoo’s website.
• Studies conducted by Mexico Jaguar Project scientists using “camera traps” are documenting range, abundance, and habits of jaguars.
• Jaguars have increasingly been making their way north from Mexico into Arizona and New Mexico, part of their former range
• U.S. border security activities could create barriers for jaguars attempting to migrate into the U.S. from Mexico. The Mexico Jaguar Project is addressing these issues by hosting discussion meetings for agencies involved in wildlife and border protection.

To learn more about the conservation efforts at the Philadelphia Zoo, click here.

Fun Facts

Where do jaguars live?

Jaguars can be found from northern Mexico to Patagonia (area in Argentina and Chile). Belize is one of the few remaining areas in the world where jaguars are still abundant and roam tropical rain forests relatively unmolested. There have been several confirmed sightings of jaguars in New Mexico and Arizona! 

How long do they live?

A jaguar’s typical lifespan is 17 years, though they can live to be 25 years or more. Because jaguars are so secretive, we are not sure how long they can live in the wild.  Hey, future researchers, maybe that’s something YOU will discover one day!  

How big do they get?

A jaguars weight can range from 88 pounds (40kg) to 150 pounds (68kg). Male jaguars average 123 pounds (56kg) and females average 90 pounds (41kg). 

What do jaguars eat in the wild? How about in the Zoo?

In the wild, jaguars hunt peccaries, capybaras, crocodilians, caimans, tapirs, deer, monkeys, agoutis/rodents, sloths, birds, fish, turtles/turtle eggs, frogs, tortoises, and sometimes livestock.

In the Zoo, they eat ground beef and chicken supplemented with mineral mix and vitamins. As a special treat, they sometimes get a knucklebone to munch on.

 

How do they hunt?

Jaguars hunt at night, and use tactics like ambush and stalking. Like all other felines (except lions), jaguars hunt alone. They kill their prey by chomping into its neck with one bite! They might also try to cut off its air by gripping its throat. Ouch!

 

Why are some jaguars black?

Melanistic jaguars are not uncommon. In fact, melanism is inherited as a dominant gene. Melanism makes their fur black, kind of the way some people have brown or black hair. Since it is a "dominant gene," it is easily inherited. Even though they look solid black, you can still see the outline of their spots. Black jaguars are more often found in the most dense jungle regions because their dark color is adapted to living in darker areas of the forest – they can blend right in!

 

Want more? Here are some way cool facts about lions that might surprise you...

• Like many cats, jaguars have eyes that are adapted for hunting at night.
• Jaguars are the largest cats in the Western Hemisphere, and the third largest overall. Only lions and tigers are bigger.
• A jaguar may go "fishing" by waving its tail over the water to attract fish, and then pouncing.

Conservation

Jaguars are an endangered species — and they need our help! The Philadelphia Zoo is working hard to help the jaguars in Mexico — keep reading to find out what we're doing and what you can do to help!

 

How many jaguars are there in Mexico?

Very few jaguars are left in the world and fewer still in Mexico. In all of northern Mexico, there are only about 100 jaguars! The Mexico Jaguar Project protects these northern jaguars by buying land for them and paying Jaguar Guardians to protect them.

 

Why are jaguars in danger?

More and more cattle ranchers are using land where jaguars used to live. The ranchers are driving jaguars' prey (like deer) out of the area, so the jaguars sometimes have to eat the cattle to survive. This angers the ranchers and puts their cattle in danger, so they kill the jaguars as soon as they see them.

 

A giant fence?

U.S. government has passed a bill that will build a tall, strong double fence between the United States and Mexico. This is an important discussion in our country right now — this would be a good topic to talk to your parents and teachers about! The fence's purpose is to stop people who are not citizens from coming into the U.S. However, that is not all it will stop! Many animals, like jaguars, migrate along paths that will run right into the wall — now these animals won't be able to continue migrating! Jaguars will not be able to come back into the United States. But wait! It’s not a lost cause yet! If you feel strongly about this issue, you can write a letter to your senator or representative. Learn more about how to "Ask for Help the 'Write' Way".

 

What is the Philadelphia Zoo doing to protect the jaguars?

Mexico is the native home of both the ranchers and the jaguars, so they need to learn to coexist peacefully. This project is helping to protect jaguars in 3 different ways:

• Researchers are observing and learning about jaguars. They use this knowledge to help educate the ranchers about jaguars and how to protect their cattle.
• The Philadelphia Zoo is sending money to the researchers in Mexico. They use this money to buy land for the jaguars so that they will have a safe place to live.
• The Zoo, along with many other organizations that care about jaguars, is working to find and protect the safest route for jaguars to take when they migrate north into the U.S. in order to create this safe path, researchers have been studying jaguars' movements using special tools called camera traps.

 

What's a camera trap?

Jaguars are nocturnal and secretive animals, which makes them very hard to find, even if you're looking for them. So, researchers set up camera traps to find out how many are living in a certain area. When a jaguar walks past a camera that’s tied to a tree, the camera will automatically take its picture! This way, researchers can look at the photos and keep track of where the jaguars are going and how many of them there are.

 

How can I help?

There are many ways that you can help! Keep reading to learn about a few.

• Research jaguars. Check out our book recommendations, and look for other books on jaguars at your local library. When you come to the Philadelphia Zoo, talk to the staff and docents by the jaguar's habitat! They have a lot of information to share! Ask questions about the jaguars at our Zoo, and about the jaguars in Mexico! The more you know about them, the more you can tell other people. Education and knowledge are the most important tools!
• Next time you come visit the First Niagara Big Cat Falls exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo, you can donate a dollar to Acres for Jaguars — this will help the Mexico Jaguar Project buy land in Mexico for the jaguars.
• Researchers gain knowledge through observation — you can, too! Observe the wildlife that you see in your neighborhood. Observation is the most important part of research! Not sure how to get started or what to look for? Check out our tips in "My Nature List".
• Just like the farmers in Mexico who are learning to live with the jaguars, you can learn to live with the wildlife in your neighborhood, too! It’s extra important that people in the United States learn how to live with wildlife, because some jaguars are starting to come back! Here's how you can get started on living with wildlife in your area.
  • When you see litter on the ground, pick it up (make sure it's not sharp!) and throw it into a trashcan or recycle bin.
  • If you have trashcans that stay outside, make sure they are always tightly covered so that they don’t attract wildlife.
  • The Zoo is trying to create a safe place for jaguars to live — you can do the same! Plant trees or a garden as a safe habitat for birds and insects.
  • These are only a few things — find out some more easy ways that YOU can protect wildlife and the environment.