The Thomas Belt Zoo in Central Nicaragua has recently welcomed the first albino jaguar born in captivity in this Central American country.
The one-month-old albino jaguar is separated from its siblings and is staying with its mother at the Thomas Belt Zoo in the Juigalpa area of Central Nicaragua as of August 23, 2023. (Photo: AFP/TTXVN)
According to the zoo’s veterinarian Carlos Molina, this is one of only four albino jaguars recorded worldwide. The aforementioned albino jaguar was born at the Thomas Belt Zoo one month ago and is currently healthy and feeding well. However, veterinarian Molina noted that the cub still requires care and is vulnerable to sunlight.
The jaguar cub is being kept separate from its siblings and is with its mother. The father jaguar is also kept separately, as male jaguars are known to kill their young. Currently, the veterinarians have not determined the cub’s sex.
Plans are in place for the public to visit the large cat when it reaches three months old. The management of Thomas Belt Zoo reported that the zoo welcomes between 50,000 to 60,000 visitors each year.
The jaguar is a large cat species belonging to the Felidae family, found throughout the Americas. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it is also the most widely distributed terrestrial mammal species in the Western Hemisphere.
