NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — On Thursday, November 18, Audubon Zoo recently welcomed a seven-month-old female jaguar.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rescued the jaguar from a wildlife trafficking situation.
“This rescue effort was an amazing example of how zoos, government agencies, and conservationists work together for the greater good,” said Audubon Zoo’s Curator of Primates Liz Wilson. “She is adjusting well to her new environment, and we cannot wait for our guests to meet her.”
According to the Facility of Audubon Nature Institute, Jaguars in the wild are decreasing in number with estimates of around 15,000 or less left.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, jaguars are considered near threatened, mainly due to poaching, human-wildlife conflict, and habitat loss.
The public can take action today to create better habitats in the community and support organizations that are doing the work to preserve wildlife.