VIDEO: Brevard Zoo’s New Jaguars Cubs Growing Quickly

By  //  March 15, 2015

The girls will be 7 weeks old on Tuesday

Brevard Zoo Welcomes Pair of Healthy Jaguar CubsRelated Story:
Brevard Zoo Welcomes Pair of Healthy Jaguar Cubs

ABOVE VIDEO: Masaya has her hands full with two growing cubs but is such a cool cat she takes it all in stride. The girls will be 7 weeks old on March 17 and weigh 9.08 pounds and 8.69 pounds. They’re regularly venturing out of their den into the outside pen and getting more coordinate as they grow. 

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Brevard Zoo welcomed a pair of healthy Jaguar cubs on January 27, born to 11-year-old mom, “Masaya,” and 13-year-old dad, “Mulac.”

The zoo’s new additions came with a few firsts for the zoo and the species. Mulac has never sired any cubs before, which means his genes were not represented in the Jaguar population. These cubs are very valuable, genetically, to Jaguars in captivity.

Also, Brevard Zoo was able to install a camera in the den box. This enabled keepers to monitor Masaya as she gave birth, and they were able to see that the cubs were nursing. Masaya has shown herself to be a caring and attentive mother.

Kerry Sweeney
Kerry Sweeney

“We are very excited with Masaya and Mulac’s new additions and look forward to them being out for guests to see,” said Kerry Sweeney, Brevard Zoo Curator of Animals.

This is the fourth litter of cubs for Masaya. Her first cub, ‘Nindiri’, resides at the San Diego Zoo. ‘Phil’ and ‘Jean’ followed and now reside at the Chattanooga Zoo, and ‘Saban’, who just turned two, lives at the Jacksonville Zoo.

brevard-zoo-jaguars-580-12
Brevard Zoo welcomed a pair of healthy Jaguar cubs on January 27, born to 11-year-old mom, “Masaya,” and 13-year-old dad, “Mulac.” (Brevard Zoo image)

The last published Jaguar captive management plan (2010) noted there were 55 Jaguars (23 males; 32 females) at 26 zoological institutions.

The target population size designated by the Felid Taxon Advisory Group, the group designated with overseeing captive felines in Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities, is 120.

It’s estimated that Jaguars have lost nearly 50 percent of their home range in the last 10 years. Since Jaguars do not live in large populations and are constantly on the move, it is difficult to ascertain reliable population data.

Jaguars are found in the dense forests and swampy grasslands of Central and South America. Sexual maturity for these animals occurs at approximately three years of age, and litters of one to four young are common. Jaguars can live up to 20 years in captivity.

– ZooBorns.com