The Nashville Zoo has witnessed the birth of two furry jaguar cubs – one of the iconic creatures of the Tennessee Zoo.
On Wednesday, the Nashville Zoo announced that jaguar Jewels gave birth to two cubs – a male and a female – at 30. Each cub weighed about a pound at birth and was measured in size. by length.
The kittens are the first caped leopards to be raised at the zoo since 2019, experiencing a dearth of births after a long period of welcoming visitors. From 2019 to 2009, the Nashville Zoo saw 40 leopard births.
Leopards are found in tropical forests in Nepal, Bhutan, India, Myanmar and China. Southeast Asia is their main habitat, and they are considered vulnerable to extinction, according to the Nature Stewardship Foundation, due to deforestation, poaching and the exotic pet trade.
The subsequent arrival of the two cυbs brought the Nashville Zoo’s furry jaguar herd to life February 16 marked the first time Jewels and her mate Brυce had successfully bred. The Species Survival Plan pairs three-year-old leopards at an early age based on their compatible geographical characteristics. This plan supports co-management and enhanced veterinary care for captive and bred species.
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To give them the best chance of survival, the foals were cared for by the Nashville Zoo’s veterinary team. Based on its experience caring for jaguars, the zoo believes this method is safest for leopards instead of letting their mothers raise them.
“Based on research and experience in raising and caring for furry leopards, there are two main reasons we chose to raise furry leopards on the back. Nurturing prevents predation and neglect, which is the way it is for furry leopards. Those raised using the technique have a 100% survival rate,” the zoo shared in a Facebook post.
The Nashville Zoo adds, “Raising cats also provides better quality of life and care for the cats! It helps adapt this normal-minded animal to sights and human species and allows animals to be paired with their mates at an early age. Pairing cubs together early will lead to stronger bonds and more efficient reproduction.”
“All of this is critically important as we work towards preserving this extinct species!”
