Jaguar Answers
Posted at 10:29 am February 11, 2010 by Jacob ShanksMy last post about the jaguars at the San Diego Zoo (see A Zoo Legend Finds a New Home) generated some questions I’d like to answer. Now that Orson, our black jaguar, is living in the Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey next door to a pair of lions (see post The Pride of Elephant Odyssey), readers were curious to know what the two different cat species thought of each other and what that future holds for possible jaguar cubs.
Orson has handled the presence of our two lions in stride. Despite the fact that they will never be together on exhibit, they do share an indoor holding area in which they can see each other and at times will use some of the same portions of the exhibit, thereby overlapping territory. Orson has shown absolutely no fear, even though our lions are significantly larger than he is, and they have not exactly been very welcoming. However, just as the lions got used to Nindiri, the previous jaguar, they will get used to Orson.
And what of Orson’s breeding history? That is a little bit more complicated. When we breed animals such as jaguars, we work cooperatively with other zoological institutions that are members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and set goals together. Genetic diversity is the number-one concern. All animals are paired for breeding very deliberately to maximize genetic diversity. In Orson’s case, he has been removed from the breeding population due to a lack of information regarding his family tree. We really try to only breed animals of 100-percent known lineage, meaning that we can track exactly who they are related too and can usually trace them all the way back to wild-caught ancestors. For Orson, about half of his family tree is missing, and therefore he has been excluded as a breeder pretty much his whole life. On top of Orson’s family tree issues, he is also an older animal, possibly beyond breeding age, and wouldn’t likely make a very compatible mate for our rather young, vivacious Nindiri. The old guy is enjoying his retirement years while Nindiri is just reaching adulthood.
Now, we do want to breed Nindiri, and we are currently looking for a good genetically compatible animal to pair her up with, but with only a limited number of males in AZA-accredited zoos, combined with the need to mate her with an unrelated individual, we may be waiting a little while. Watch for a future breeding pair to unfold as time goes by.
For those not familiar with the layout of our lion/jaguar complex in Elephant Odyssey, atop the holding building roof, nestled between the two primary exhibits, is an area that can only be seen from the top level of our double-decked buses. This little rooftop “penthouse” comes complete with water feature, cave, plants, and a great view of the elephants. This space wasn’t really built with exhibition in mind but rather for breeding jaguars. Jaguars, like most cats, are solitary animals and, aside for breeding time, will often choose to be by themselves. It would be very unlikely that a pregnant female would tolerate a male in her territory, and a female with cubs would want absolutely nothing to do with another adult jaguar. When the Zoo obtains a breeding pair of jaguars, it will become necessary to separate them from each other for perhaps extremely long periods of time. The rooftop space was built as a solution for what to do with whichever individual wasn’t on exhibit at that time. We can give access from the holding building to the roof, thereby providing them exhibit space without being in the primary enclosure. For now, we don’t have a breeding pair of jaguars, and therefore, all the cats being managed in Elephant Odyssey have the option of being on exhibit every day. That being said, we aren’t the type to waste that extra space, and for the past many months the on-exhibit cats have been taking turns with access to the “penthouse” just as soon as the Zoo closes. This is just one more way we can offer a little more variety in the lives of our already-pampered cat friends.
Jacob Shanks is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.
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February 11th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Orson is so gorgeous, it’s too bad he cannot be bred (though I understand the reason why). What are the lions doing that is unfriendly? I’m glad Orson has the wisdom that comes with age to take the situation with the lions in stride. And I hope a mate is found for Nindiri, soon. She is such a lovely jaguar.
February 11th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Thanx Jacob for filling us in on the Jaguar breeding program, and why our old man Orson was never a part of this. I cannot wait till the day SDZ makes the announcement when you have a breeding pair of Jaguars, or when SDZ finds a mate for Nindiri. I love your blogs, so please keep them coming. I always felt the big cats needed some face time too. =)
February 11th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
so i am uneducated, if an animal is endangered or almost extinct, you breed them? but only if you know where they came from, in case of what? excuse me for being flipant, but why in case of 10 legs or 3 tails? or developing illness? like you only want perfectly healthy animals…..so doesnt God take care of that? I have heard what happens when only one human family (stays) with each other, but does that sort of thing happen with animals too? like you wouldnt know if they were related
Moderator’s note: We don’t want to breed animals that are (or may be) too closely related as, just like with humans, there could be genetic problems for the offspring.
February 12th, 2010 at 5:47 am
I noticed the little “holding area” from atop the tour bus, it looked nice and solitary for the cats.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Thanks for answering these questions! I’m sad that Orson couldn’t be a daddy, but the reason is understandable. It’s great that he isn’t letting the lions intimidate him. I can’t wait to get back to the zoo to see Orson again in his new environment. I hope he’s enjoying all the extra space, as well as his hot rock and all the live fish in the pool.
No doubt Orson is getting even more fans now that he’s in a more accessible and popular part of the zoo. I hope he’s coping with that!
Thanks for this post. Please continue to keep us informed about Orson, and all the cats!
February 12th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
so maybe like on Animal Planet those wierd shows of poor animals that come out (you know), maybe on the ranch or farm, how can you help but let nature do its thing, but of course in a controlled situation (zoo) you would NOT want to do that….i understand. I just didn’t think of that happening in the animal world. Wow baby black “panthers” WOULD THAT BE CUTE OR WHAT ! OR lets say they were not related, and you could, would she have to be black as Orson or just the same “kind”. Wow I must sound stupid.
February 14th, 2010 at 7:38 am
Are you planning to breed black “panthers” or jaguars?
Moderator’s note: “Panther” is just an old general term that comes from the Panthera animal grouping name, and is sometimes used to describe leopards, jaguars, and pumas.
February 14th, 2010 at 10:02 am
No, what I meant was: are you planning to breed either species? Thanks!
Moderator’s note: There is no panther species, but we do hope to find a suitable mate for jaguar Nindiri.
February 20th, 2010 at 7:21 am
Another fantastic post. I just finished trudging through 40 pages of blog posts to see what kind of stuff on the cats I could find. I do believe posts on the lynx, cougars, and leopard are in order! And perhaps something else on those adorable snow leopards… but Karen manages that crowd, not Jacob. (Wish it was me…!)
Upon first noticing a change in Big Cat Trail, my mother had an emotional breakdown, worried that Orson might have passed away. She was elated to find him pacing back and forth in his new cave, but I was unable to take any pictures since at the time the reflection from the glass was too much. The second trip resulted in an absolutely perfect picture of him sleeping on a pile of hay, which I have set as her desktop picture because she loves it so much. She talks about Orson at least every other day and insists on visiting him at least twice a month.
I was curious, though, about his birthday. I do know that he was born in 1992, which makes him 17 or 18 years old. I would like to know when his actual birth date was so we can make sure to visit him for his 18th birthday if he’s still 17. Mod (or Jacob), can ya help me out on this one?
Jacob responds: Orson was born Oct. 21, 1992. Thanks for the question.
June 15th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Would it be possible to design a VIP visit exclusively with Orson? Going into details about his daily care, habits, enrichment activity, his history, and future plans of care for him? He is a magnificent animal and I am interested in the specific challenge of tailoring geriatric care for a cat of his distinguished years.
Ann Marie
Moderator’s note: Your question has been forwarded to our Customer Service folks.