‘Terrible mistake’: Two jaguars at this Florida zoo got into a fight. It became deadly
A violent encounter between two jaguars at a Florida zoo Saturday night ended in one’s grisly death.
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens released a statement this week saying a female had been killed by a younger male in a holding complex at the facility over the weekend.
The zoo said the 21-year-old female, Zenta, was mauled late Saturday by 12-year-old Harry.
The incident happened after Harry was brought in to the holding area after eating “pieces of an enrichment item,” something inedible, like a toy, that provides animals in captivity with stimulation. The two jags began to go at it as staffers unsuccessfully tried to separate them.
Harry was eventually “immobilized,” but it was too late.
“Zenta’s death is the result of a terrible mistake, and we are reviewing all aspects of this awful occurrence,” Dan Maloney, deputy zoo director, said in the statement. “Both jaguars were contained at all times and our team responded safely and swiftly.”
Zenta arrived at the facility in 2006 as a rescue from another zoo. Harry was born there.
It is unclear if the animals had ever been placed together or if they had any previous interaction.
According to National Geographic, jaguars can live up to about 12 to 15 years in the wild. These big cats, the third largest after tigers and lions, are solitary and territorial.
The zoo said it is working to prevent another similar tragedy: “Our focus now is to complete the investigation and identify corrective measures to mitigate this type of incident in the future.”
A spokeswoman told the Miami Herald the big cat’s death was a huge loss for the zoo.
“We are devastated by the sudden loss of Zenta and appreciate your thoughts during this difficult time. She will be sorely missed as she was both a favorite of guests and staff alike.”
This story was originally published February 24, 2021 at 10:20 AM.
