Diego is the newest addition to the Birmingham Zoo—and this male jaguar is quite the cat’s meow, if you know what I mean. He came from the Memphis Zoo, replacing Khan, the previous jaguar, who was moved to the Brevard Zoo as part of the Jaguar Species Survival Plan (SSP). Diego was born on January 24, 2017, making him almost 9 years old. He spent his first year at Elmwood Park Zoo before he was moved to the Memphis Zoo, where he fathered two cubs. In honor of his arrival, Diego’s outdoor habitat in the Primates/South America building was updated and refreshed—so he has lots of room to roam, climb, and lay out.
“We are delighted to welcome Diego to the Birmingham Zoo,” says Chris Pfefferkorn, President and CEO of the Birmingham Zoo. “Diego has been enjoying his enhanced habitat and we look forward to our guests meeting him at the Birmingham Zoo.” If you’re curious how Khan is doing, Pfefferkorn shares that, “We are also pleased to report Khan is doing well at the Brevard Zoo and introductions to a future mate are going well. Hopefully he will father cubs in the future as AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) continues to help protect the jaguar species. Our mission is inspiring passion to conserve the natural world and these jaguars are definitely helping us do that.”
Fun facts about jaguars from the Birmingham Zoo:
- Jaguars are native to South America and are the third largest cat in the world.
- There are only around 173,000 jaguars left in the world today—and you’ll find almost all of them in the Amazon rainforest.
- A jaguar’s lifespan is up to 12 to 15 years in the wild; however, they can live up to 20 years or longer under the care of animal experts.
- Jaguars are a “Near Threatened” species—their population is shrinking because of the ever-growing demand for their skin/fur, teeth, and claws.
Visit birminghamzoo.com to purchase admission tickets so you can meet Diego for yourself.
