TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens welcomed a newly-born jaguar cub to its feline family on Wednesday.
First-time jaguar mother, Babette, and father, Harry welcomed the cub that weighed in at just two pounds, the cub is the first jaguar born at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in almost a decade since Khan, a male jaguar, in July 2013.
The zoo said it has yet to name the gub pending confirmation of its gender.
“We are ecstatic that Babette is doing an excellent job taking care of her cub who is active and healthy,” Chief Life Sciences Officer David Hagan said. “It is not uncommon for first-time mothers to reject their cubs, so we are very pleased that Babette is caring for the cub instinctively.”
According to the zoo, a jaguar’s pregnancy is short, lasting about 14 weeks. Cubs are born blind but gain sight after two weeks. In the wild, a jaguar mother teaches her cub to hunt at around six months. At the two-year mark, the cub leaves to live on its own. Jaguars are solitary creatures that only spend time together to mate.
“This is an exciting time, and we are thrilled for the community to join us in celebration,” Hagan added.
Jaguars are the largest cat in the Americas with fully-grown males weighing between 125-250 lbs and females between 100-200 lbs.
